The director of a Scottish research unit has called on the government to target the marketing activities of tobacco companies.

Professor Gerard Hastings made the plea before welcoming members of the House of Commons Health Committee to the University of Strathclyde's Centre for Tobacco Control Research.

While Professor Hastings said he acknowledged the UK Government's decision to ban advertising, he said ministers should go much further and warned that too many young people were "at risk" from the harmful effects of smoking.

Members of the committee are visiting the centre, which was set up by the Cancer Research Campaign last year, as part of their investigation into the tobacco industry and risks associated with smoking.

He said: "In the last decade evidence suggests that the industry's marketing is attracting young people and other vulnerable groups despite its public protestations to the contrary.

"And it's not just promotional activities coming under scrutiny but other factors such as product engineering, distribution and pricing strategies."

The professor said the centre was looking at a number of areas of research, including the impact of advertising campaigns on young people and all promotional activities undertaken by tobacco companies.