Controversial government plans to outlaw smoking in public places have descended into confusion because of a row between ministers over the extent of the ban.
Last night, the Department for Health confirmed publication of the long awaited Health Improvement Bill - scheduled for release today - will be delayed after ministers failed to reach agreement.
The dispute centres around health secretary Patricia Hewitt's proposal for legislation which would ban smoking in all restaurants, pubs and bars which serve food.
Under her plans, smokers would still be able to light up in premises not providing food but only in special sealed rooms - dubbed as 'smoking carriages' - located away from bar staff and other customers.
Hewitt introduced the compromise because she fears that only banning smoking in food areas would lead to an increase in lighting up in some licensed premises.
Although culture secretary Tessa Jowell, who has previously advocated an outright ban, backs Hewitt's plans, other ministers, led by defence chief John Reid, disagree.
Reid - Hewitt's predecessor as health secretary - believes the government should stick to its election manifesto by allowing smoking in any part of a pub, bar or restaurant not serving or preparing food with no option for a sealed smoking area.
It is believed Hewitt now intends to announce the smoking room proposal will be subject to a three-month consultation period to discuss issues such as ventilation and whether bar staff would be required to clean the rooms.
Opposition parties attacked the Cabinet confusion with Liberal Democrat health spokesman Steve Webb calling on the health secretary to stick to her guns.
"Patricia Hewitt should have the courage of her convictions and protect people who work in smokey environments," he said.
"It will only increase health inequalities to exempt pubs that do not serve food from this legislation."
Conservative health secretary Andrew Lansley said it was ‘perverse and unworkable’ to distinguish between places where food is and is not prepared, while business groups have been equally vocal in their criticism.
Rex Garrett, national spokesman for the Forum of Private Business, demanded that the ban apply to all commercial premises.
"Making exceptions to the rule such as gentlemen's clubs, workingmen's clubs and pubs that don't serve food must send home the message that this government does not care about the health of workers in these places where they would have to carry on suffering secondary smoking every day of their working life," he said.
