To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that officials of his Department comply with his Department's guidance on support in relation to the tobacco industry; and whether overseas diplomatic staff of his Department have met with representatives of the tobacco industry.
Answered on
8 May 2019
The Government takes very seriously its obligations as a Party to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This includes the treaty commitment at Article 5.3 to protect public health policies with respect to tobacco control from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. The FCTC does not prohibit meetings with representatives of the tobacco industry but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issues guidance annually to all staff on limiting support to the tobacco industry to ensure FCTC compliance. We do not hold a central record of staff meetings with third parties.