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The Scottish Parliament may go it alone by outlawing tobacco

advertising north of the border because of the Government's failure to

implement a UK-wide ban.

Pressure is mounting on the Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition which runs

the devolved Scottish executive to act without waiting for the

Westminster Parliament to implement Labour's long-standing pledge to end

poster and press ads for tobacco.

Although the Government is backing a Bill introduced in the House of

Lords by the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Razzall, it may fail because of

a lack of Parliamentary time.

The Scottish National Party has called for the Edinburgh Parliament to

go ahead with a ban in a move backed by some Labour members of the

assembly and ministers in the executive. The issue could become an

important test of the Government's willingness to allow the assembly,

set up in 1999, to use its powers.

In an unusual move, the SNP plans to summon Robin Cook, the leader of

the Commons, to Edinburgh to tell members of the Scottish Parliament why

Labour has failed to bring in a UK ban.

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP's health spokesman, who has introduced a Bill

to outlaw tobacco promotion in Scotland, said: "I would withdraw my Bill

if UK legislation comes forward, but we have been repeatedly let down by

London Labour."