§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what he anticipates will be the cost in the current year of treating alcoholism; and what number of alcoholics he estimates there are currently in the United Kingdom ;
(2) what expenditure he expects to make in the current year to combat alcoholism.
§ Sir George YoungIt is not possible to identify separately the cost of treatment services for alcoholism and alcohol-related illnesses which are provided under a wide range of NHS services and supplemented by voluntary organisations providing counselling and other support. For the most recent estimates of the number of alcoholics in the United Kingdom, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 31 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Mr. Shepherd).—[Vol. 972, c.559].
For health education the Department looks mainly to the Health Education 505W Council, whose projected expenditure on experimental education to prevent the misuse of alcohol in 1980–81 is £100,000. In addition, health education is provided by a number of other bodies including health authorities, local education authorities and voluntary organisations but the amounts involved again cannot be separately identified.