HL Deb 29 January 2001 vol 621 cc38-9WA
Lord Janner of Braunstone

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the estimated cost to the National Health Service of treating people suffering from illness as a result of smoking in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [HL362]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The information is not available in the form requested. However, a studyCost Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Interventions by the Health Education Authority in collaboration with the University of York published in 1997 estimated the annual cost to the National Health Service of treating smoking related disease caused by smoking at between £1.4 billion and £1.7 billion for England. This is the most recent available estimate.