English public continues to back smoking ban

The English public are continuing to toe the line over the country’s smoking ban.

Newly published government figures covering inspections carried out in November show 98.8% compliance with the law.

Of the 37,235 premises inspected in that month by enforcement officers, 36,781 showed no evidence of the management knowingly permitting smoking.

Compliance throughout the UK remains uniformly broad with the highest levels found in the East Midlands (99.2%) and the lowest in Yorkshire and Humberside (98.1%).

Compliance with signage for the legislation was marginally lower nationally at 91.8% of premises inspected.

Since the legislation was introduced in England on 1 July authorities have inspected 355,159 premises with 348,503 (98.1%) compliant with the law.

During that time 1,233 written warnings have been issued and eight court hearings heard, comprising of five in the North-west, two in the South-east and one in the South-west.

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By Christopher Walton

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