§ 2.43 p.m.
THE EARL OF ARRANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any evidence that the use of aqua-filters in any way reduces the dangers of lung cancer from cigarette smoking.]
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, as it is not yet known which constituents of tobacco smoke cause lung cancer, the value of any form of cigarette filter cannot be assessed.
THE EARL OF ARRANMy Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware that there is an intensive campaign under way to popularise water filters on the ground that they provide the safest way to smoke cigarettes; and will 458 the Government, in the light of the lack of evidence to support the point, use all available means to inform the public that there is no reason to believe that these contraptions reduce the risks of lung cancer in any way whatsoever?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, it is, as I say, not established what are the constituent parts of tobacco smoke which do the damage, and the public must draw their inference from that in judging the value of any advertisements. The water filters, of course, do remove substances from the smoke which can do you no good: whether they do you any harm at the same time is open to question. It may be like the holy water on Mount Athos—"It will do ye nae harm and it will do ye nae guid".
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, as the Royal College of Physicians, who were originally responsible for the recommendations on smoking which have been accepted by Her Majesty's Government, mentioned this matter, is the noble Viscount satisfied that what he has said can be reconciled with the statement by the Royal College?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMI thought it was exactly in accordance with it, but I am willing to have my error pointed out and to wear sackcloth if it is not.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, will the noble Viscount the Leader of the House approach my noble friend Lord Arran, remembering that he was willing to give himself for experiments as regards drink? Perhaps my noble friend will be prepared to give himself for experiments as regards smoking.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMThe noble Earl, Lord Arran, has sacrificed himself once in the cause of science; but in order to achieve any notable results on him he would have to undergo a prolonged course of treatment.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount whether there are any statistics on cancer in Turkey, where they smoke hookahs?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMAh, the hubble-bubble! But that is a kind of pipe, whereas the dock at the moment is occupied by the cigarette.
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords, we have just heard from the noble Earl who replied to the earlier Question that there are fairly stringent regulations about the misrepresentation of various fabrics which one wears. Are there not also some regulations concerning misleading advertising; and if there are such, would not what the noble Earl read out to us from the advertisement possibly be considered to come under such regulations?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMI should not like to pronounce upon a subject of that kind without re-reading the advertisements, which I am bound to say do not concern me and which, therefore, I passed over somewhat lightly. My Impression was, having looked at it again since my noble friend put his Question down, that the advertisement was very careful not to say anything about lung cancer.
THE EARL OF ARRANMy Lords, while appreciating and being grateful to the noble Viscount the Leader of the House for What he has said, and to the House for the jovial manner in which it has taken the matter, may I at the same time point out that it is still a matter of life or death?