§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for modifying further the tar yield of cigarettes resulting from the poor effect of low tar cigarettes on mortality from coronary disease.
§ Mr. John PattenIn seeking to continue reducing the tar delivery of cigarettes, the Government's main purpose 533W is further to reduce the risk of lung cancer to smokers. Current declining lung cancer mortality rates among men attest to the value of this policy. The voluntary agreement on tobacco product modification concluded in March of this year provides for a further reduction from 15mg to 13mg in the average tar yield of cigarettes over the next four years.
The link between deaths from coronary heart disease and smoking is more complex, since smoking is only one of the risk factors involved. New work in this field, fostered by the independent scientific committee on smoking and health at the cardiovascular research unit at Dundee, is due to start on 1 December 1984.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what resources he will make available for the purpose of further investigations or studies into which constituents in tobacco are the greatest contributor to coronary heart disease.
§ Mr. John PattenUnder the tobacco product modification agreement the tobacco industry has already provided £3 million for independent research proposed by the independent scientific committee on smoking and health into this and other aspects of the effects of modified tobacco products. The industry has recently agreed to make up to a further £1 million a year available over the next four years for this purpose.