§ Q1. Mr. F. Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister what recent action he has taken to co-ordinate the instructions given by the Ministries responsible for the Medical Research Council, for health and for education, in connection with, respectively, research into the dangers to health of cigarette smoking and the provision of information and publicity on this subject.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)No such action has been required.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs the Prime Minister aware that the total amount of Government spending on information about the effects of cigarette smoking, excluding the cost of a 12-minute film, is about £12,000 a year and that the total spending by local authorities is a little over £10,000? Are not those amounts ridiculously small, compared with the £20 million a year that is being spent by the cigarette manufacturers on advertising? Is the Prime Minister further aware that cigarette smoking has now returned to the level at which it stood before the Report by the Royal College of Physicians? Will he look at the whole situation again and see whether Government action should be expedited?
§ The Prime MinisterIn reply to previous questions which the hon. Member asked me, I made it clear that the Govern- 1118 meat thought they had a duty to make this information available but that they had no duty to try to prevent people from doing what they have a free right to do.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.