UP TO 80 per cent of pubs in some of the poorest parts of the North-East will be given the go-ahead to allow smoking to continue in the premises under new Government plans.

According to figures obtained by Fresh, the campaign for a smoke-free North-East, half of North-East pub and bar landlords will be allowed to choose whether to allow smoking.

But in some places, the figures are much higher.

Latest estimates suggest that only two out of every ten pubs and bars in Easington, County Durham, will be forced to ban smoking because they prepare food on the premises.

The figures are not much better elsewhere, with almost half of bars in Newcastle exempt from the legislation. Other areas are Gateshead (72 per cent) and Stockton (64 per cent).

In the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency, where lung cancer deaths are the highest in the region, the figure is 50 per cent.

The numbers are in sharp contrast to Department of Health figures for England, which suggest that only 20 per cent of premises will be allowed to choose.

Fresh officials, who published the figures, believe the only answer is a total ban in public places, including pubs.

A Fresh spokesman said: "Second-hand smoke kills; even the Government accepts that. Studies show that bar workers are exposed to four to six times more second-hand smoke than the average office worker.

"And we know that exposure to second-hand smoke increases your risk of lung cancer by 24 per cent and heart disease by 25 per cent.

"Given that the North-East suffers from the highest levels of lung cancer and heart disease in England, a total ban in all workplaces is the only logical step."

The Department of Health is consulting on the proposed legislation.

Fresh is urging individuals and organisations from across the North to contact them via www. freshne.com demanding all workers in the region are protected.

* More than two-thirds of MPs want smoke-free laws to cover all workplaces, without any exemptions, campaigners said today.

Cancer Research UK and Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) questioned more than 140 MPs from all parties about their views.

They found that 69 per cent of MPs would support a ban in all workplaces.