§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the annual cost to the national health service of smoking-related diseases for each year from 1990, and give this figure as a percentage of the overall annual health care budget; and if he will make a statement. [31900]
§ Mr. HoramTreatment costs to the national health service are not available on a year by year basis. Based on 1990 figures, the Health Education Authority's report, "The Smoking Epidemic—A Prescription for Change", estimated that the annual cost to the NHS of treatment smoking-related diseases is £610 million.
The national health service's total gross expenditure in 1990–91 was £23,654 million.
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