HL Deb 21 June 1989 vol 509 cc220-2

2.50 p.m.

Lord Airedale asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they propose to take to reverse the increase in cigarette smoking in 1988 in view of the fall in real terms of the price of cigarettes.

Lord Henley

My Lords, there is no firm evidence that there has been an increase in cigarette smoking. Although the Central Statistical Office recently released figures showing a very small increase in consumer expenditure on cigarettes in 1988, this does not necessarily mean that more people have taken up smoking. The price of cigarettes has fallen slightly in real terms since 1986, but it is still far higher than it was in 1980.

Lord Airedale

My Lords, I am obliged to the noble Lord for those remarks but is he not disappointed with his own Answer? Was he not looking for a continued steep fall in the use of tobacco? In any event, will he convey to his right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer that, if there is a campaign to discourage the use of a dangerous drug such as nicotine, it may be a good idea to make sure that it does not become available more cheaply?

Lord Henley

My Lords, I am sorry that the noble Lord does not like my figures. As I said, one cannot read too much into a 0.6 per cent. increase in consumer expenditure on cigarettes. It is too close to the margin of error. At the same time as that rise we have seen a fall of 4.6 per cent. in the number of cigarettes released for home consumption by the Customs and Excise. The figures therefore are rather confusing. I shall certainly pass on the noble Lord's comments about taxation.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that one of the images that may have influenced the way in which people voted in the European elections on Thursday was the Secretary of State for Health refusing to co-operate in a European campaign against smoking which used frank and explicit health warnings? May we assume that the Government will be prepared to think again on this matter as well as the important taxation issue raised by the noble Lord, Lord Airedale?

Lord Henley

My Lords, I admire the noble Lord's ingenuity in bringing in the European elections yet again. We voted against the labelling directive because we felt that it went far beyond what was necessary for single market harmonisation. It is also over-prescriptive and will damage our system of voluntary agreements. However, as the noble Lord knows, we support the health objectives of that measure.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that the United Kingdom was once again on its own on this particular issue?

Lord Henley

My Lords, quite honestly I do not see what that has to do with the matter. We were on our own but I have explained why we were on our own.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

My Lords, if there has been an increase in the incidence of smoking, could it be because the 40 per cent. of people who are smokers in this country are becoming fed up with being persecuted by the faddist lobby whose supporters often have habits which are more obnoxious than smoking? Does he agree that a period of silence on this matter might persuade young people that smoking is not such a daring thing to do? Will the noble Lord also confirm that the EC, while tinkering about with notices on cigarette packets, is also subsidising the growing of tobacco by no less a figure than £2,000 million a year? Does he not think that we should take health warnings from the EC with a large pinch of nicotine, if not salt?

Lord Henley

My Lords, as I speak on behalf of Her Majesty's Government and not for myself I do not think that I ought to comment on some of the noble Lord's remarks. He gave the number of smokers as 40 per cent. of the population. That figure has fallen from 40 per cent. in 1978 to 33 per cent. in 1986.