Plain cigarette packaging could be brought in by 2015 This morning Jane Ellison, the Public Health Minister, said this was the "right time" to implement the review dismissing the idea that the Government was "playing catch up" to Labour on the issue. She told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that cigarette packaging was one of the most important public health issues facing the country but that the experience of legislators in Australia had shown how controversial it could be. She said: "It's a quick review, we've asked it to report by March, to have a look and take that independent view and step back from the politics of this and survey the evidence; I think that's the sensible next step to making policy in this area." She added: "Ministers will make this decision. Obviously at the end of the review they will weigh all the other things into consideration but we've got the Children and Families Bill going to the Lords and we're actually going to take the opportunity to put regulations in place that would enable us to act quickly. So therefore when the review gives its advice and once ministers have made a decision, we will have a mechanism to act swiftly. Andrew Burnham, the shadow health secretary, said the Government should be "taking action now" rather than conducting another review. He claimed that the review was simply a bid to avoid "humiliation" in a vote on the issue due in the House of Lords shortly. The Prime Minister was accused earlier this year of being influenced by the tobacco companies after it emerged Lynton Crosby, the Conservatives" elections strategist, is a partner of a company that has been involved in lobbying against such proposals, an accusation that Mr Burnham repeated today.