HC Deb 27 November 1986 vol 106 cc357-8W
Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will ask the director of Action on Smoking and Health what proportion of his budget is made up of his departmental grant;

(2) if he will list in the Official Report details of his Department's grant to Action on Smoking and Health since its inception, and state the criteria which govern the annual change in grant;

(3) if he will ask the director of Action on Smoking and Health to submit proposals for increasing the proportion of his budget provided by voluntary and private sources;

(4) what steps he proposes to take to appraise the effectiveness of his Department's grant to Action on Smoking and Health.

Mrs. Currie

Action on Smoking and Health submits detailed financial estimates and audited accounts annually. In 1986 about 67 per cent. of total income was made up by this Department's grant. Before grants are finalised, discussions are held with the organisation which include its proposals for increasing its income from voluntary and private sources. At the Department's request the organisation is developing a system of performance indicators by which its effectiveness can be measured.

Since its inception in 1971, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has been allocated the following sums by this Department:—

Year Grant (£)
1971–72 19,000
1972–73 6,000
1973–74 3,000
1974–75 6,400
1975–76 18,500
1976–77 31,000
1977–78 41,500
1978–79 59,500
1979–80 70,000
1980–81 80,000
1981–82 90,000
1982–83 115,000
1983–84 118,000
1984–85 136,000
1985–86 150,840
1986–87 177,000

The change in grant reflects the growing demand on Action on Smoking and Health's services and the Government's continuing commitment to support activities which help to reduce the incidence of smoking.