Overview

• The bill would bar tobacco sales to anyone born after 2008, aiming to create a smoke-free generation in the UK.
• The Windsor Framework requires Northern Ireland to align with EU goods regulations, which include keeping tobacco legal for adults over 18.
• Robert Buckland warns that applying the ban in Northern Ireland would breach EU law while excluding the region would fracture the UK’s internal market.
• He has called for a pause in the legislation to allow negotiations for an exemption or removal of Northern Ireland from the bill’s scope.
• The government insists that its proposed measures are consistent with its obligations under the Windsor Framework despite legal warnings.