HC Deb 13 March 1991 vol 187 cc559-60W
Mr. Amos

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current annual number of deaths from cancer in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland attributed to smoking; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what is the current annual number of deaths from heart disease in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland attributed to smoking; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dorrell

[holding answer 11 March 1991]: The table shows the number of deaths attributed to those forms of cancer and heart disease usually associated with smoking. It is estimated that at least 90 per cent. of deaths from lung cancer and pulmonary heart disease are attributable to smoking. In addition cancers of the mouth, larynx and oesophagus have all been associated with smoking.

In 1983 the Royal College of Physicians in its report "Health or Smoking" estimated that perhaps 20 per cent. of deaths due to obstruction of the arteries of the heart were related to smoking; an extract is available in the Library. The medical term for this condition is "ischaemic heart disease", but it is often referred to as "coronary heart disease". The total number of deaths from this condition is shown in the table, but the proportion directly attributable to smoking is less certain as this is only one of a number of causes that give rise to obstruction of the arteries of the heart.

Number of deaths from major cancers and heart disease associated with tobacco smoking, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 1989.
Cause1 Number of Deaths
England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
Malignant Neoplasms of Trachea, Bronchus and lung (1) 32,467 2,051 4,234 831
Lip, oral cavity and pharynx (2) 1,601 105 218 35
Oesophagus (3) 4,650 346 633 106
Larynx (4) 808 51 98 27
Chronic pulmonary heart disease (5) 566 71 23 7
Ischaemic heart disease (6) 140,509 9,686 18,107 4,508
1 International classification of diseases code (9th revision): (1) 162, (2) 140–149, (3) 150, (4) 161, (5) 416, (6) 410–414.
2 Data for Northern Ireland are provisional.