Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Markham on 25 January (HL Deb col 845) when he stated that a levy on the profits of the tobacco industry would result in a net increase of "only about £25 million or so", what is the basis for that assertion.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the United Kingdom, smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year and causes approximately one in four cancer deaths. It also costs the UK £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. This is why, alongside our plans to create a smokefree generation, we are also supporting more smokers to quit by nearly doubling funding to local stop smoking services.
In respect to the remarks made on 25 January 2024, these relate to a response to the Tobacco levy consultation published by HM Treasury in 2015. This cites HM Revenue and Customs analysis which, at the time, showed that a tobacco levy of £150 million would only raise £25 million. A copy of the Tobacco levy consultation is attached.
However, the Department continues to work with HM Treasury regarding tobacco taxation and revenue. This includes reviewing options for the most effective way to raise additional funds to further support smoking cessation services moving forward.
Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to disseminate the guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care on gov.uk for government engagement with the tobacco industry to all of government, including executive, legislative and judicial branches of government at national and local level, as well as all public authorities.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has written to other Government Departments who may engage with the tobacco industry to inform them of the publication of ‘Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry’ that was published 19 June 2023. A copy attached. A version of the guidance tailored to local authorities developed in collaboration with the Local Government Association will be published shortly.
Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the lower life expectancy of those on low incomes is due to the higher rates of smoking in that group.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The independent review into health inequalities in England undertaken by Professor Sir Michael Marmot culminated in the publication in 2010 of Fair Society, Healthy Lives. A copy of the review has been placed in the Library. The review identified the most effective evidence-based strategies for reducing health inequalities in England and made the following recommendation:
“Tobacco control is central to any strategy to tackle health inequalities as smoking accounts for approximately half of the difference in life expectancy between the lowest and highest income groups. Smoking-related death rates are two to three times higher in low-income groups than in wealthier social groups.”
Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what date they plan to publish the Tobacco Control Plan for England.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Tobacco Control Plan is currently being developed and Ministers will decide on an appropriate publication date in due course.
Asked by: Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to reduce smoking within the NHS as part of implementing "the radical upgrade in prevention and public health" called for in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Smoking continues to be the leading cause of premature death and health inequality in England, placing a significant burden on the National Health Service.
The Department remains dedicated to the delivery of effective and robust tobacco control and has committed to developing a new tobacco control strategy to further reduce the prevalence of smoking, working with NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) to identify interventions that will make the best contributions to achieving this.
Training material and guidance has been developed to support health professionals deliver effective interventions to pregnant women who smoke.
PHE will continue to support local authorities by developing and distributing information and advice for the commissioning of effective smoking cessation services.