§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he is taking to discourage adolescents and young women from taking up smoking;
(2) what action he is taking to discourage women from smoking during pregnancy.
§ Sir George YoungWe look to the Health Education Council to conduct health education programmes at national level. The council, though funded by the Department, functions independently of it and decides its own priorities and target groups in the field of health education. But I know that it regards the reduction 49W of smoking as one of the main priorities among the competing demands upon its resources.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of smoking-related diseases;
(2) what is his estimate of the cost in social security payments of smoking-related diseases and deaths.
§ Sir George YoungEstimates of this kind cannot be made with any reliability and no recent estimates have in fact been made by the Department.
In 1970–71 an estimate of £36 million was made of the total annual health care costs incurred by the hospital, family doctor and general pharmaceutical services in the treatment of smoking-related diseases at the levels then prevailing. I take the view that, whatever the costs involved, the human suffering and distress which can result from cigarette smoking is sufficient justification in itself for the Government's determination to follow a policy aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the smoking of cigarettes.