The new Labour government will introduce a bill to progressively increase the age at which people can buy cigarettes and impose limits on the sales and marketing of vapes, His Majesty the King has confirmed in a speech today.

Under the proposed Tobacco and Vapes bill, children born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to legally be sold cigarettes.

The bill will also stop vapes and other consumer nicotine products from being deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children.

The Tobacco and Vapes bill was proposed under the previous Conservative government, and was voted through the House of Commons in April.

It has also passed the Committee stage, but must still pass a third reading in the House of Commons, three readings in the House of Lords, amendments and Royal Assent before becoming legislation.

In the King's Speech today, the government also committed to improving the NHS 'as a service for all, providing care on the basis of need, regardless of the ability to pay’.

King Charles III also highlighted a focus on prevention, as well as efforts to reduce waiting times.

And he said the government would ‘ensure mental health is getting the same attention and focus as physical’, including by improving mental health provision to young people and modernising the Mental Health Act.

Paul Rees, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said the 'recommitment to tackling challenges around disposable vapes and raising the smoking age' was encouraging.

But he added: 'It's only by reversing historic cuts to cessation services that we'll effectively slash rates of smoking and transform health outcomes across the country.'

Mr Rees also called for wider investment in community pharmacy to support the government's focus on cutting waiting times and improving preventative health care.

'If this government wants to cut GP and hospital waiting times – and free up GPs to see patients with more serious conditions – it needs to invest in community pharmacy, which is a front door to the NHS and ideally placed to help release GP appointments and relieve pressure on hospitals.

'There is no need for complex legislation to begin the reinvestment in community pharmacies to unleash their full potential,' he said.