HC Deb 11 May 2001 vol 368 cc392-3W
Mrs. Spelman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much new money was spent in England on specialist advice and support for the NHS for smokers waiting to quit in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01; what the figure will be for 2001–02; and if he will reconcile these figures with those in paragraph 4.9 of the 1998 White Paper "Smoking Kills". [158352]

Yvette Cooper

[holding answer 23 April 2001]: In "Smoking Kills" we undertook to invest up to £60 million of new money for smoking cessation services over the three years 1999–2000 to 2001–02. We expect to exceed this commitment. Investment in the services has been: 1999–2000: £10 million (health action zones only). 2000–01: £20 million (£10 million HAZ, £10 million non-HAZ health authorities). 2001–02: £20 million (310 million HAZs, £10 million non-HAZ Has) with an additional £3 million to provide a co-ordinator for services for pregnant services.

In addition, we have made provision for health authorities to cover the cost of the recently de-blacklisted Zyban and nicotine replacement therapy, which we expect to cost between £10.5 million and £42 million per year.