§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce a programme to tackle the problem of teenage smoking on similar lines to the Quitline programme in England. [9022]
§ Mr. RichardsThe Quitline telephone helpline in England provides advice on smoking cessation for all age groups and is not aimed specifically at teenage smokers.
The Health Promotion Authority for Wales currently delivers a wide range of programmes designed to prevent the take up of smoking or to help individuals to stop smoking. Many of these programmes, including the "Smokebusters" initiatives—which aim to discourage 11 to 13-year-olds from starting smoking—and "Quit and Win" project— aimed at 15 to 19-year-olds—are designed specifically to address the problem of smoking among young people. There are no plans to introduce a programme similar to Quitline in Wales.
Under the new arrangements for funding Health Promotion Wales which are to be introduced from April 1996, it will be primarily for health authorities to commission future programmes to deal with the problem of teenage smoking in Wales.