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Health Bill

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will have the opportunity to speak later when he can explain what he means by that last comment. I am not an apologist for the tobacco industry. I was simply pointing out that the reduction in the prevalence of smoking was faster in the 1980s. He knows that—I attended the conference that he chaired on the battle against cancer. There has been a long-term reduction in, for example, lung cancer mortality but there are worrying indications. It was wisely noted earlier that difficulties remain with the prevalence of smoking in elements of population. That is especially true of working-class communities and young women. Smoking by young people has barely reduced in the past five years. He knows from the statistics that were presented to his conference of the all-party parliamentary group on cancer last Thursday that not only has the incidence of lung cancer mortality in young women risen, but overall mortality rates for women are not reducing compared with the substantial reductions in men.