Smoking (Hansard, 25 February 2003)

§ David Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the number of people who have died in each of the last five years in England and Wales as a result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. [93623]

§ Ms Blears
Information in not routinely collected on the number of people who have died as a result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) in its 1998 Report concluded that, "exposure to environmental smoke is a cause of lung cancer and, in those with long-term exposure, the increased risk is in the order of 20 to 30 per cent. The numbers of people so exposed are not known precisely, but an estimate would suggest about several hundred extra lung cancer deaths a year are caused by exposure to passive smoking".
SCOTH also concluded: "Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of ischaemic heart diseases and if current published estimates of magnitude of relative risk are validated, such exposures represents a substantial public hazard".

§ Paul Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died in each of the last five years as a result of passive smoking; and what measures are being taken to reduce exposure to passive tobacco smoke. [93684]

§ Ms Blears
Information in not routinely collected on the number of people who have died as a result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.
The Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health (SCOTH) in its 1998 Report concluded that, "exposure to environmental smoke is a cause of lung cancer and, in those with long-term exposure, the increased risk is in the order of 20 to 30 per cent. The numbers of people so exposed are not known precisely, but an estimate would suggest about several hundred extra lung cancer deaths a year are caused by exposure to passive smoking."
SCOTH also concluded: "Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of ischaemic heart diseases and if current published estimates of magnitude of relative risk are validated, such exposures represents a substantial public hazard."
We are working closely with the hospitality trade to implement the Public Places Charter, designed to provide customers with clear information on the type of smoking policy operating in a particular establishment and allow them to make an informed choice.
We are also be increasing the visibility of health messages highlighting to smokers the risks environmental tobacco smoke presents. This is through regulations to transpose into UK law the European Union Directive on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products. These regulations require 534W tobacco products to carry larger and starker health warnings, on both the front and back of the packet. The dangers of passive smoking are highlighted in two of the new warnings, which include "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you" and "Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke." The contents of tobacco smoke are also highlighted in a warning saying, "Smoke contains benzene, nitrosomines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide".
We are encouraging all employers to introduce smoke-free work places. All of the Department of Health's headquarter buildings will be completely smoke-free by 31 March 2003 and we are funding local tobacco control alliances across England to carry out projects in close co-operation with local employers to tackle passive smoking and to increase the number of smoke-free environments. These projects vary in nature from the production of smoke-free guides to pubs and restaurants to the provision of advice and support to managers wishing to introduce policies. We hope that many will be suitable for national application.

§ Paul Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regular tobacco smokers there are(a) in the UK and (b) in other Council of Europe countries; and how many there were in each case in 1980. [92573]

§ Ms Blears
The estimated number of smokers in the United Kingdom is shown in table 1. The available data on smokers in other Council of Europe countries as published by the World Health Organisation are shown in table 2.

Table 1: Estimated percentage and number of current cigarette smokers, among adults aged 16 and over, United Kingdom, 1980 and 2000

1980 2000

Percentage of cigarette smokers¹ 39 27

Estimated number of cigarette smokers^1,2,3 17,200,000 12,900,000

¹GB data on the prevalence of smoking have been provided for 1980 as Northern Ireland data are not available: these data were used for estimating the number of smokers in the UK in 1980.

²The number of smokers has been calculated using the (aged 16 and over), 1971 census based UK population estimates for mid year 1980, and the 1991 census based UK population estimates for mid year 2000 (provided by the Office for National Statistics to the Department of Health).

³Estimated number of smokers rounded to the nearest 100,000.

Sources:
Data on the prevalence of smoking derived from:
1. Office for National Statistics: General Household Survey 2000, published as 'Living in Britain: Results from the 2000 General Household Survey'. Available from the internet at: http:// www. statistics. gov. uk/lib/index. html
2. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency: Northern Ireland Health And Social Wellbeing Survey 2001. Available from the internet at: http://www.nisra.gov.uk/whatsnew/wellbeing/ Smokine$20and$20drinking$20tables.pdf
535W

Table 2: Prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 and over, Council of Europe countries (other than UK), 1980 and 2000

Percentage Country 1980 2000

Albania ¹— 39

Andorra ¹— ¹—

Armenia ¹— ¹—

Austria ¹— 29

Azerbaijan ¹— ¹—

Belgium ¹— 31

Bosnia-Herceg ¹— ¹—

Bulgaria ¹— ¹—

Croatia ¹— 30

Cyprus ¹— ¹—

Czech Republic ¹— 29

Denmark ¹— 30

Estonia ¹— 29

Finland 26 23

France 17 27

Georgia ¹— ¹—

Germany ¹— 35

Greece ¹— 38

Hungary ¹— 42

Iceland ¹— 23

Ireland ¹— ¹—

Italy ¹— 25

Latvia ¹— ¹—

Liechtenstein ¹— ¹—

Lithuania ¹— 32

Luxembourg ¹— 30

Malta ¹— ¹—

Moldova ¹— 19

Netherlands 43 32

Norway 31 32

Poland ¹— ¹—

Portugal 22 ¹—

Romania ¹— ¹—

Russia ¹— ¹—

San Marino ¹— ¹—

Slovakia ¹— ¹—

Slovenia ¹— ¹—

Spain ¹— ¹—

Sweden 32 19

Switzerland ¹— ¹—

FYR Macedonia ¹— ¹—

Turkey ¹— ¹—

Ukraine ¹— 34

Yugoslavia FR ¹— 47

¹Not available

Former health authority Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Year 2002

East Lancashire 128 9 7 7 11 13 10 20 9 8 16 7 11

Morecambe Bay (Lancaster) 10 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 2 0 1 1 0

NW Lancashire 62 6 12 6 3 4 5 4 3 8 6 2 3

S Lancashire 14 0 0 4 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 0

Total 214 15 19 19 16 20 18 26 15 17 25 10 14

Regional Total 648 47 59 55 56 69 58 57 43 47 73 43 41

Year 2001

East Lancashire 94 6 14 4 5 7 6 11 6 9 10 12 4

536W
Source:
WHO 'European Health for all database'. Available from the internet at: http//www.who.dk/hfadb

Table 1: Estimated percentage and number of current cigarette smokers, among adults aged 16 and over, United Kingdom, 1980 and 2000
	1980	2000
Percentage of cigarette smokers¹	39	27
Estimated number of cigarette smokers^1,2,3	17,200,000	12,900,000
¹GB data on the prevalence of smoking have been provided for 1980 as Northern Ireland data are not available: these data were used for estimating the number of smokers in the UK in 1980.
²The number of smokers has been calculated using the (aged 16 and over), 1971 census based UK population estimates for mid year 1980, and the 1991 census based UK population estimates for mid year 2000 (provided by the Office for National Statistics to the Department of Health).
³Estimated number of smokers rounded to the nearest 100,000.

Table 2: Prevalence of smoking among adults aged 15 and over, Council of Europe countries (other than UK), 1980 and 2000
Percentage Country	1980	2000
Albania	¹—	39
Andorra	¹—	¹—
Armenia	¹—	¹—
Austria	¹—	29
Azerbaijan	¹—	¹—
Belgium	¹—	31
Bosnia-Herceg	¹—	¹—
Bulgaria	¹—	¹—
Croatia	¹—	30
Cyprus	¹—	¹—
Czech Republic	¹—	29
Denmark	¹—	30
Estonia	¹—	29
Finland	26	23
France	17	27
Georgia	¹—	¹—
Germany	¹—	35
Greece	¹—	38
Hungary	¹—	42
Iceland	¹—	23
Ireland	¹—	¹—
Italy	¹—	25
Latvia	¹—	¹—
Liechtenstein	¹—	¹—
Lithuania	¹—	32
Luxembourg	¹—	30
Malta	¹—	¹—
Moldova	¹—	19
Netherlands	43	32
Norway	31	32
Poland	¹—	¹—
Portugal	22	¹—
Romania	¹—	¹—
Russia	¹—	¹—
San Marino	¹—	¹—
Slovakia	¹—	¹—
Slovenia	¹—	¹—
Spain	¹—	¹—
Sweden	32	19
Switzerland	¹—	¹—
FYR Macedonia	¹—	¹—
Turkey	¹—	¹—
Ukraine	¹—	34
Yugoslavia FR	¹—	47
¹Not available

Former health authority	Total	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Year 2002
East Lancashire	128	9	7	7	11	13	10	20	9	8	16	7	11
Morecambe Bay (Lancaster)	10	0	0	2	1	1	1	1	2	0	1	1	0
NW Lancashire	62	6	12	6	3	4	5	4	3	8	6	2	3
S Lancashire	14	0	0	4	1	2	2	1	1	1	2	0	0
Total	214	15	19	19	16	20	18	26	15	17	25	10	14
Regional Total	648	47	59	55	56	69	58	57	43	47	73	43	41
Year 2001
East Lancashire	94	6	14	4	5	7	6	11	6	9	10	12	4