§ Mr. Michael BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services, when he expects to publish the Froggatt committee report on smoking, and health.
§ Mrs. Currie[pursuant to her reply, 17 December 1987, c. 703.]: The fourth report of the independent scientific committee on smoking and health is published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The report reviews the progress and achievements of the policy of tobacco product modification, introduced in the 1970s to encourage the development of less harmful products, and recommends action to reduce further the amount of the main carcinogenic and other health-threatening components in cigarettes. It concludes that, together with the welcome reduction in the proportion of people who smoke, the policy has contributed to the more favourable trends which are developing in certain smoking-related diseases, most notably in lung cancer. We will be opening discussions with the tobacco industry about further reductions in the harmful components of tobacco smoke.
The report recommends that the Government consider all the options available to encourage smokers to stop smoking and non-smokers not to start. The report also considers the effects of breathing other people's tobacco smoke, sometimes referred to as passive smoking or environmental tobacco smoke. The committee has reviewed the evidence on the possible health implications of passive smoking and concludes that the findings overall are consistent with there being a small inrease of 10–30 per cent. in the risk of lung cancer amongst non-smokers. The committee estimates that this might account for several hundred out of the current annual total of about 40,000 lung cancer deaths in the United Kingdom.
The report draws attention to the link between smoking and reduced birthweight and perinatal mortality. It calls for further research across a range of smoking-related subjects.
The Government accept the thrust of the report, which reflects established policies of voluntary arrangements, and we will be considering in that light how the recommendations can best be carried forward. Action on 159W some recommendations can be taken relatively quickly, but others will need further discussion and negotiation with interested parties, including the tobacco industry. As part of this process the Government will be glad to receive comments on the committee's recommendations and on ways in which they might be implemented with the aim of reducing health problems from smoking.