A LANCASHIRE MP is warning health supremos against restricting smoking in pubs and leisure venues for fear of putting off foreign tourists.

Tourism Minister Janet Anderson fears that jobs could be lost and hundreds of thousands of pounds in earnings lost if a ban on smoking in public places is brought in.

The Rossendale and Darwen MP, who also covers Edgworth, Belmont and Turton in her constituency, has for some years been trying -- and failing -- to give up smoking.

Now she has written to the Health and Safety Commission expressing her concern about the impact of a proposed new code for the tourism and leisure industries. She fears that tourism, business entertainment and the trade of many pubs and restaurants could be badly hit if there is not enough space for smokers. Mrs Anderson said: "While I do accept the concern about smoking in public places, it could be very damaging to the tourism and hospitality industries if measures that were too draconian were introduced.

"This is a difficult issue, but we have to balance the protection of public health with jobs and the desire of some people, often foreign tourists, to be free to smoke if they wish."