Earl of Shrewsbury
Main Page: Earl of Shrewsbury (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Earl of Shrewsbury's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(3 years, 9 months ago)
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Lord Bethell [V]
The noble Lord is right to commend those who have given up smoking during Covid. I pay tribute to anyone who has given up smoking. I struggled and found it immensely difficult, but I am glad that I did it. There is a government amendment to the Bill, which the Department for Health and Social Care supports, and we wish it every success.
The Earl of Shrewsbury (Con) [V]
Is my noble friend aware that I quit smoking many years ago and the credit for that is entirely down to the NHS and my GP? Can he tell me what is the estimate of the current annual cost to the NHS of treating smoking-related medical issues?
Lord Bethell [V]
My Lords, I believe that the annual cost is £2.3 billion. It is far too much and we must do more to get it down. Huge progress has been made but we are still committed to a smoke-free 2030.