NO SMOKING DAY AND CHILDREN

That this House acknowledges that smoking near children is a major cause of respiratory illness such as respiratory syncytial virus bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and problems such as wheezing, coughing and breathlessness; regrets that an estimated 17,000 under five-year olds are hospitalised every year as a result of second-hand smoke; further regrets that 42 per cent. of children live in a house where at least one person smokes; congratulates the British Lung Foundation for highlighting the negative effects of second-hand smoke on the respiratory health of babies and young children; urges all smokers to pledge to protect our children's fragile lungs by observing No Smoking Day on 10th March; and asks the Government to do more to promote this message.