HC Deb 07 April 2000 vol 347 c614W
Ms Church

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent in each of the last five years by the NHS on smoking cessation treatments. [117032]

Yvette Cooper

The information requested is not held centrally. Our White Paper "Smoking Kills" announced on 10 December 1998 the first ever national NHS smoking cessation programme, with advice and support for adults wanting to quit including one week's supply of nicotine replacement therapy free of charge for smokers entitled to free prescriptions. £10 million was allocated to health action zones for 1999–2000 to set up smoking cessation services and £16 million has been allocated for these services to be extended across England in 2000–01.