HC Deb 07 May 2002 vol 385 cc103-4W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of adults smoked in each year since 1992(a) in total and (b) by social class. [45781]

Yvette Cooper

Smoking prevalence among the adult population (persons aged 16 and over) in England is measured by the General Household Survey; figures are available by manual and non-manual socio-economic group.

The latest results available are from the 2000 survey. In surveys prior to 2000, the results have been presented as unweighted data to compensate for under-representation of people in some groups. Therefore, 1998 data have been presented in the table as both weighted and unweighted to allow for comparisons between 1992 to 1998 (unweighted) and 1998 to 2000 (weighted).

Prevalence of cigarette smoking since 1992—All persons, and by whether household reference person is in a non-manual or manual socio-economic group1: 1992 to 2000, England
Percentage
Unweighted Weighted
Persons aged 16 and over 19923 19943 19963 1998 1998 2000
Non-manual 23 21 22 21 22 23
Manual 33 32 34 32 33 31
All persons 28 26 28 27 28 27
1Head of household in years before 2000. Persons whose head of household/household reference person was in the armed forces or a full-time student are not shown as separate categories, but are included in the totals.
2Trend tables show unweighted and weighted figures for 1998 to allow for direct comparison between 1998 and 2000 and to give an indication of the effect of the weighting.
3Figures for 1992 to 1996 are taken from the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin "Statistics on Smoking: England, 1978 onwards".

Source:

Office for National Statistics "Living in Britian: results from the 2000 General Household Survey"

London Stationery Office