BBC News | Politics | Jowell revises Formula One job threat total

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Jowell revises Formula One job threat total

Sunday, November 30, 1997 Published at 02:38 GMT

image: [ Two Commons committees criticised the Government's tobacco policy sponsorship ]

Jowell revises Formula One job threat total
Public Health Minister Tessa Jowell has admitted that the number of jobs lost if the Formula One Grand Prix left Europe may not be as high as has been estimated.

She had previously exempted Formula One from a proposed ban on tobacco sponsorship on the grounds that 50,000 jobs were at stake.

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She now admits that the estimated number is anywhere between 8,000 and 50,000.

Both the health select committee and the select committee on European legislation questioned the strength of the case for permanently exempting Formula One from a ban.

The report said "no very exacting assessment" had been made of how much sports depended on tobacco sponsorship.

The committee also questioned the fairness of exempting one sport alone and said the policy deserved "very close consideration."

The health committee produced a report which said: "Formula One should be placed under the same pressure as other sports to seek alternative sponsorship."

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Committee chairman David Hinchliffe said: The Government have had the wool pulled over their eyes by Formula One.

"They've accepted a case that's flawed. It's a case that could be made similarly by other sports and other sports have had the integrity not to make that case.

"Sports such as rugby league have accepted the Government's position and are moving away from tobacco sponsorship.

Norman Baker, a Liberal Democrat member of the European legislation committee, said Mrs Jowell was clearly "uncomfortable" with the exemption for Formula One and he suggested she had been put under pressure by others in the Government.

The Government will be urged to reach a compromise in European talks next week on an EU directive to ban all tobacco advertising across Europe.

Tessa Jowell, who was grilled by both committees, was embroiled in the controversy after it was revealed her lawyer husband had links with motor racing.

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