§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many hospital beds are currently occupied by patients with diseases attributable to smoking;
(2) if she will give an estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of treating diseases attributable to smoking in the last 12 months;
(3) what are the numbers and types of diseases diagnosed in the last 12 months as being attributable to smoking and which as a result occupied hospital beds.
§ Dr. OwenI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow) on 29th November 1974.—[Vol. 882, c.302–3.] A proportion of the estimate was attributable to hospital in-patient costs, but it is not possible to say precisely how many individual diseases were caused by smoking in any particular period.