Written question asked by Laurence Robertson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 February 2005. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 February 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating people with smoking-related diseases; and if he will make a statement. - Includes 1997 figure. (Holding answer 4 February 2005).

Answer: Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating people with smoking-related diseases; and if he will make a statement. [214060] Miss Melanie Johnson: [holding answer 4 February 2005]: The latest estimate available was made in 1997, when the then health education authority estimated that treating illness and disease caused by smoking costs the national health service up to £1.7 billion every year in terms of general practitioner visits, prescriptions, treatment and operations. Buck D., Godfrey C., Parrott S., Raw M., University of York Centre for Health Economics, "Cost effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions". Health Education Authority, 1997. A copy is available in the Library.

Secondary information