Written question asked by Iris Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Wednesday, 5 May 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 11 May 2004. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 May 2004 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Northern Ireland Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the cost to the health service in Northern Ireland of (a) alcohol misuse, (b) tobacco smoking and (c) other drug use in the last year for which figures are available.

Answer: Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost to the health service in Northern Ireland of (a) tobacco smoking, (b) alcohol misuse and (c) other drug use in the last year for which figures are available. [171784] Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows: (a) In her 2000 Annual Report, the Chief Medical Officer estimated that the annual in-patient care costs to the HPSS of smoking related diseases were in excess of £22 million. Additional treatment costs associated with out-patient and primary care cannot readily be identified. (b) In the Report, "Reducing Alcohol Related Harm in Northern Ireland", it was estimated that, in 1997-98, the last year for which costs are available, the social costs to the HPSS amounted to £26.8 million pounds per year. This included the costs of occupied psychiatric and acute beds, general practice costs and responses to alcohol related harm. (c) In relation to other drug use, the information is not available in this format.

Secondary information