HC Deb 14 July 1999 vol 335 c224W
Mr. Streeter

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to prevent growth in the number of deaths due to smoking in the developing world.

Mr. Foulkes

We view with great concern the estimate by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that, if current trends continue, tobacco will be the leading cause of disease burden by 2030, causing about one in eight deaths, and that 70 per cent. of tobacco-related deaths will be in developing countries. We strongly support the priority given to tobacco control by WHO through its "Tobacco Free" initiative, and the efforts to establish an International Framework Convention (ITC) for tobacco control.

Mr. Streeter

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to work towards a global ban on tobacco advertising. [91199]

Mr. Foulkes

We are committed to co-operating with other Governments in the establishment of an International Framework Convention (IFC) on tobacco control, which includes advertising. We have indicated our support to the World Health Organisation (WHO), who are co-ordinating this work and are discussing with them Britain's role in the first intergovernmental meeting to discuss the development of the framework. We are contributing £200,000 this financial year to WHO's "Tobacco Free" initiative.

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