Mr. Paul Gordon:

They are usually located in pubs or hotels. We are a little bit behind the rest of Europe on this issue. Approximately 14 EU countries have a ban in place, as does the UK. I know the Department has been keen to push this ban for several years. The thinking behind it is that it will help to denormalise smoking as it will ensure that children see fewer tobacco products around them. In addition, there is evidence from the environmental health service that, despite most places with a vending machine having a token system in place, children tend to be more successful in their attempts to get cigarettes from vending machines than through other means.