HC Deb 15 May 1989 vol 153 cc29-30W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the proportion of children in Scotland who smoke; and what information he has on comparable figures for other parts of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

In 1986 the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys carried out, on behalf of the Health Departments, a third national survey of smoking among secondary school children (the 11–15 age group). Twelve per cent. of sampled pupils in Scotland said that they smoked regularly (at least one a week) and 5 per cent. occasionally (less than one a week). The equivalent figures for England and Wales were 10 per cent. and 5 per cent.

Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives are being taken in Scotland to discourage young people from smoking following the Prime Minister's announcement on 25 January of a £2 million per year campaign to reduce the number of children who smoke over the next four years.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The announcement of 25 January referred to a five-year teenage anti-smoking campaign for

Mr. Lang

The information which is available is given in the following table:

England and Wales funded by the Department of Health and Health Education Authority. In Scotland the Scottish health education group will spend some £280,000 on anti-smoking material and campaigns during the current financial year. The Scottish Committee for Action on Smoking and Health will receive grant-in-aid of £40,000 in 1989–90. Both organisations undertake anti-smoking initiatives directed at the young.