§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of premature deaths caused by smoking each year, the annual cost of treating smoking-related diseases, and the cost of time lost at work due to smoking-related diseases.
§ Sir George YoungThe number of deaths in the United Kingdom due specifically to smoking-related diseases has been estimated as being at least 50,000 per annum. Estimates cannot be made with any reliability of the full cost of lost working time resulting from the diseases and early deaths associated with cigarette smoking. It was, however, estimated by the Royal College of Physicians in 1977 that 50 million working days are lost in Great Britain each year as a result of smoking-related diseases. As for the cost of treating such diseases within the NHS, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 3 March 1981.—[Vol. 1000, c.86.]