§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received concerning passive smoking;
(2) what medical evidence is available to him on the effects of passive smoking;
(3) what information he has on the cost to public funds of the Health Education Council's campaign on passive smoking.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe available evidence on the effects on health of breathing other people's tobacco smoke is being reviewed by the independent scientific committee on smoking and health, which advises the Government, with a view to updating the committee's statement on the subject in its 1983 report. The Health Education Council is spending about £450,000 this year on a campaign which deals with the social as well as the health aspects of passive smoking. Since January the Department has received about 30 written representations on this subject.