HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc121-2W
Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the proportion of smokers among lone mothers on income support.

Mr. Sackville

Data on the proportion of smokers amongst lone mothers on income support are not available centrally. Surveys indicate that the levels of smoking amongst lone parents and amongst low-income families are significantly higher than in the population as a whole.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the proportion of smokers among doctors.

Mr. Sackville

The available information from a 1989 survey by the Commission of the European Communities showed that 10 per cent., of general medical practitioners in the United Kingdom were smokers. There is no information collected concerning the smoking habits of doctors working in other fields.