Tobacco and Vapes Bill: Third Reading
366Ayes
41Noes
Carried · majority 325 · Government won244 did not vote
651 Members · Aye 366 · No 41 · DNV 244 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
MPs voted on 26 March 2025 to pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at Third Reading, its final stage in the House of Commons before the Bill moves to the Lords. The vote passed by 366 to 41. Third Reading is the point at which the House votes on the Bill as a whole, in its amended form. The Bill creates what the government calls a "smokefree generation" by making it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, effectively raising the legal age of purchase by one year every year. It also bans vape vending machines, prohibits the free distribution or substantial discounting of tobacco and vaping products where the purpose is promotion, restricts advertising aimed at children, and introduces a retail licensing scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government described it as the most significant public health intervention since the 2007 ban on smoking in public places. Labour voted almost unanimously in favour, with no Labour or Labour and Co-operative MPs voting against, though over 100 had no vote recorded. The Conservative Party was split: 24 voted in favour, 30 against, and 62 had no vote recorded. The Liberal Democrats mostly backed the Bill, with 38 in favour and 6 against. All four voting Reform UK MPs opposed it. The Bill had cross-party support for its core principle, but Conservative critics argued it gave the Secretary of State excessive powers, including a potential power to ban smoking in pub gardens, and raised concerns about fuelling an illegal tobacco market.
Voting Aye meant
Support passing landmark public health legislation that phases out tobacco sales for future generations and cracks down on vaping promotion to children, described by the government as the most significant public health intervention since the 2007 smoking ban.
Voting No meant
Oppose the Bill in its current form, with critics — mainly Conservative MPs — arguing it grants the Secretary of State excessive powers, risks fuelling a black market in illegal tobacco and vapes, and includes disproportionate measures such as potential bans on smoking in pub gardens.
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
259
0
102
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
24
30
62
Liberal Democrats
Whipped Aye
37
6
28
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
29
0
13
Independent
—
2
1
10
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped No
0
4
3
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
1
1
3
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
0
0
2
Your Party
—
1
0
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
1
0
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Defends the Bill as watershed public health legislation that will save lives by ending tobacco sales to future generations, strengthen vaping restrictions for children, and support adult smokers via stop-smoking services and vape-as-quit-aid schemes.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (4,874 words) →
Supports tobacco control but opposes the Bill's broad powers allowing the Secretary of State to designate smoke-free places without consultation or justified public health grounds; advocates for restricted powers, mandatory pre-implementation licensing consultation, and annual reports on illegal tobacco markets.Conservative · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,907 words) →
Warns that the generational smoking ban will inevitably increase the illegal tobacco market, a highly regrettable unintended consequence that requires monitoring and enforcement action.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (47 words) →
Emphasises that illegal tobacco sales are linked to serious organised crime and money laundering, often by foreign-owned shops, and urges stronger support for trading standards and police enforcement.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (2,565 words) →
Argues the black market already exists significantly (44% drop in duty-paid cigarettes despite only 0.5% reduction in smoking) and the Bill increases that risk, so evidence-gathering via amendment 19 is essential.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,627 words) →
Seeks confirmation that fixed penalty notice fines will be retained by local authorities for public health spending to offset enforcement costs.Labour · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (65 words) →
Welcomes the Bill as world-leading public health legislation that will reduce smoking prevalence and protect NHS resources from being overwhelmed by preventable tobacco-related illness.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,625 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0