“We can’t get left behind on this issue,” Mr Kerr told the Evening Telegraph. “Put simply, public health should not stop at the door of the public house.”

The case for reducing smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke was, he said, “indisputable”.

The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill, which will debated by MSPs next year and, if passed, will come into force by March 2006, also includes legislation in other areas such as eye and dental checks.

The Bill makes provisions for a ban on smoking in enclosed premises to which the public or a section of the public has access; which are being used wholly or mainly as a place of work by persons who are employees; which are being used by and for the purposes of a club or other unincorporated association; or which are being used wholly or mainly for the provision of education, health or care services. The plan is that any exemptions will be agreed and defined within regulations following discussions with interested parties — for example those who run hospices and long-term care homes.

The National Smoke Free Areas Implementation Group, membership for which is being drawn from public and private sector organisations, will advise the Scottish Executive on the implementation of smoke-free areas.

Breaches of the smoking ban legislation could lead to fines of up to £2500 and pub and restaurant owners could lose their licence to sell alcohol. Individuals persistently found smoking in enclosed public areas will be hit by fines of up to £1000, principally enforced by environmental health officers.

The minister said Scotland has “a 35 a day habit” – with 35 people every day dying from smoking-related diseases. It was a habit that Scotland needed to kick.

“Thousands more are admitted to hospital every year as a result of smoking — lung cancer, coronary heart disease and chronic bronchitis are just some of the conditions caused by smoking,” said Mr Kerr. “Smoking destroys lives and families. It robs folk of their loved ones before their time.”

There was no question that passive smoking kills too — with up to 2000 deaths a year associated with second-hand smoke.

“If we stub out smoking in public places we could save hundreds of lives by protecting workers and the public.”

The minister said there had been talk of impact from the Bill for the licensed trade. The Executive understood these concerns, but there was no international evidence to suggest that this will happen.

“While it’s fair to say that 60% of current pub customers are smokers, seven out of 10 people in Scotland do not smoke. That’s 70% of the population, many of whom are put off by the fog of a smoky pub, either for health reasons or a simple dislike of the atmosphere.”

Making bars smoke-free would tempt many of these people back to the public house and to say that a ban on smoking in public places will automatically result in hundreds of pubs closing and hundreds of jobs being lost was simply not borne out by any evidence.

“Evidence from other countries shows that people adjust. Tax receipts in New York City are up since they introduced their own ban, as smokers have learned to live with the new law.”

Cigarette sales were down 16% in Ireland since introduction of a smoking ban and thousands of people in New York had quit their habit.

“Quite simply, if you reduce the number of places in which you can smoke, you reduce the number of smokers you have,” said the minister.

The Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK today voiced backing for the new legislation in Scotland.

Professor Alex Markham said, “Huge numbers of lives will be saved as a result of this legislation and many smokers, desperate for support to give up, will have a golden opportunity to quit successfully.”