Most businesses inspected in the two weeks after the smoking ban was introduced on 1 July were smoke-free, according to data published by the Department of Health.

The data found that 97% of premises were respecting the requirement to prohibit smoking in enclosed premises and 79% were displaying the correct no-smoking signs.

It found that compliance was even higher in vehicles, with figures of 98% compliant and 84% displaying the correct signage.

The data was collected from 88,899 inspections, which included 1,090 hotels, 6,783 restaurants and 9,568 licensed premises.

Dawn Primarolo, minister of state for public health, says: "These figures confirm that, just as happened previously in Ireland then Scotland, England saw very high levels of compliance in the first few days. All the signs are that businesses and the public have taken the new law in their stride.”

Only one fixed penalty notice has been issued to an individual wilfully flouting the law. Councils have issued 142 written warnings and there were no court hearings.

In the first three months of the ban there have been 2,342 calls to the Smokefree England helpline and 606 of these were passed on to local authorities to follow up.