§ Mr. Freesonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to discourage people, especially children, from starting to smoke.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergWe have made available to the Health Education Council over £2 million in the present financial year for anti-smoking activities mainly directed at young people. This is in addition to elements in the council's main programmes intended to discourage the smoking habit. Other aspects of our policy on smoking and health—for example, the grant to Action on Smoking and Health, support for the provision of more non-smoking areas in public areas, and the inclusion, by agreement with the tobacco industry, of health warnings on advertisements for cigarettes and for sporting events sponsored by cigarette companies—are also aimed at discouraging young people from starting to smoke.