Stop paying for the smoke police

On Friday the Treasury launched a new initiative designed to "re-think government to deliver more for less".

The Spending Challenge is your chance to help shape the way government works. We need to reduce the deficit by cutting public spending in a way that is fair and responsible - and you can help.

Among the first ideas to be posted was the eminently sensible suggestion that government should:

Stop paying for the smoke police

The Department of Health handed over £29.5 million to councils in 2007 to help train and recruit officers to police the streets, pubs and bars specifically in relation to the smoking ban. A Government-funded course trained 1,200 council employees in the first few months of the ban, with more coming later. This is a complete and utter waste of money when we have a largely compliant population.

How the idea could be implemented

Withdraw funding for councils for this nonsense. Amend the smoking law to allow at least some separately ventilated, segretated rooms in pubs and clubs and you won't need any policing at all.

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