“Alliance committed to this in our manifesto, particularly on occasions where children are present, and we have pursued it strongly. We welcome progress on this consultation and are committed to supporting the broad thrust of legislation banning smoking in vehicles where children are present.
“We see no reason for any exemptions, but we are aware there are particular details around the restriction of smoking in vehicles which may have an impact on particular groups. Therefore, it is important as many voices as possible are heard as we look at the detail of such legislation.
“I would therefore encourage the public to get involved with the consultation, so we can develop the most effective way forward on this issue in the best interests of children’s well-being and indeed of public health as a whole.”
The consultation runs until March 3. It is available at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/consultations