§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 3 November 181W concerning a cigarette filter, the name of which was supplied to him, what tests the Government Chemist has carried out on this filter; and what conclusions he has reached in his consideration of the standard procedure for testing cigarettes;
(2) if he will take steps to obtain information about recent court cases in the United States of America concerning the validity of current methods used both in the United States and the United Kingdom for determining the tar content of cigarettes with a view to making changes in his methods of testing cigarettes;
(3) if he is satisfied that the current methods for determining the tar yields of cigarettes used by the Government Chemist are accurate enough;
(4) on what scientific research is the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide content of cigarettes assessed by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist;
(5) if he is satisfied that the methods of assessing tar yields of cigarettes used by the Government Chemist fully reflect the habits of smokers.
§ Mr. John PattenIn analysing the tar, carbon monoxide and nicotine yields of cigarettes, the laboratory of the Government chemist uses the methods recommended by the International Organisation for Standardisation Technical Committee 126 (Tobacco and Tobacco Products). This procedure can only assess smoke generation, that is the yield of smoke presented to the smoker's mouth, and we are satisfied that it accomplishes this accurately. The resultant data are regularly published by the Department in the form of cigarette brand tables, as recommended by the Royal College of Physicians in 1971. The implications for the testing procedure of the progressive modification of cigarettes in order further to reduce their noxious yields are kept under review by the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health. In its third report published on 14 October 1983, the Independent Scientific Committee indicated in paragraph 33 its intention to obtain further information about the extent to which a smoker "compensates" when he or she changes to a lower tar-nicotine product. I expect the committee to advise in its fourth report or earlier if necessary, on the results of its further enquiries on this matter. In discharging its remit, the committee takes account of all relevant material. This will include the results of recent court cases in the United States of America, which I understand led to the judgement that the American system, which is essentially identical to the United Kingdom system, provides legitimate comparative information to smokers who wish to reduce the health hazards inherent in cigarette smoking. I will look to the independent committee for specific advice in the event that the cigarette filter referred to by the hon. Member, or any similar filter, should come into use in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to warn smokers that switching to low tar cigarettes may result in an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked.
§ Mr. John PattenThere is insufficient evidence at present to support the view that smokers who switch to low tar cigarettes smoke more. The independent scientific committee on smoking and health has therefore called for further research into this matter.