HC Deb 14 July 1993 vol 228 cc525-6W
Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the advice her Department has provided to insurance companies on the health effects of smoking, as proposed in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper; and what response she has received from those companies.

Mr. Sackville

Officials of the Department of Health have met with representatives of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Department of Trade and Industry to discuss smoking-related issues and to ensure that the ABI is aware of the full range of scientific and medical evidence of the dangers of smoking. There have been no meetings with individual companies.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the interdepartmental task force announced in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper has made in developing and implementing the proposed comprehensive strategy to reduce smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption; whether this strategy will be published; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Sackville

The interdepartmental task force on smoking has been established to develop and implement the strategy to reduce smoking. An implementation programme to take forward the strategy will be published in due course.

Mrs. Currie

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures, other than an increase in the price in real terms of cigarettes, she will implement in order to achieve the Government's target of a 40 per cent. reduction in consumption of cigarettes by the year 2000 as set out in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper; and if she will quantify, in terms of a percentage reduction in consumption, the contribution that each may be expected to make to achieving the target.

Mr. Sackville

"The Health of the Nation" White Paper sets out a comprehensive strategy to reduce smoking prevalence including action on price, health education and ensuring effective controls on advertising. It also emphasises the key role of health authorities in leading moves to improve the health of local people including action to reduce smoking.

It is difficult to quantify the comparative effect of the different influences on smoking habits with any certainty.