Vol. 515 No. 6
161 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the proportion of the additional moneys, which will be received in 2000 as a con sequence of the increase of 50p in the price of cigarettes, to be allocated to implementing the cardiovascular strategy and anti-tobacco initiatives; and the way in which it is proposed to utilise the moneys not spent. [6668/00]
Under section 3 of the Appropriation Act, 1999, a sum of £132 million will be made available to my Department by means of an appropriation-in-aid to the Department's Vote. This provision means that the total estimated revenue to be raised from the increase in tobacco excise will go directly to the health services to address the health consequences of tobacco use.
An additional sum of £12 million has been made available in 2000 to fund the implementation of the cardiovascular health strategy. The full implementation of the cardiovascular health strategy will cost upwards of £150 million. A further additional sum of £785,000 has been made available in the current year for tobacco control initiatives. Additional revenue of £3.6 million has also been made available to facilitate the commissioning of new cardiac treatment facilities.
The above sums are in addition to the existing amounts spent within the health services on the treatment of diseases of the heart and circulatory system, tobacco control and health promotion initiatives targeted at smokers. The treatment of other tobacco-related illnesses, such as cancer and respiratory illnesses, also places considerable costs on the health service. For example, under the national cancer strategy a sum of £40 million has been spent on the development of cancer services between 1997 and 2000. In the current year the tobacco revenues available to my Department will assist in providing for further investment in cancer services, £8.3 million extra, breast screening, £2.4 million extra, palliative care, £3.3 million extra and cervical screening, £3.6 million extra. Capital costs associated with the development of the services mentioned above will also be met.
Finally, an important health consideration in the increase in tobacco excise is the objective of deterring smoking, particularly among young people who are not already committed smokers.
