§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on European Union funding for campaigns to discourage smoking. [57181]
§ Ms JowellThe Health Council has called for co-ordinated action to be taken by the Member States and at Community level to encourage the reduction of smoking. It has welcomed and is monitoring progress by the Commission in taking forward action proposed in its Communication of December 1996 on tobacco control. The Council and the European Parliament adopted in 1996 a five year action programme against cancer which includes specific actions to disseminate the best methods of overcoming addiction to smoking. We wholeheartedly support these activities.