asked the Minister for Health how much is spent by the Health Education Bureau on each of their anti-drug, anti-smoking and anti-drinking campaigns.
Written Answers. - Health Education Bureau Campaigns.
957.
In relation to 1982 and for following years, the Health Education Bureau has moved away from the topic-orientated campaign approach to health education which it has used in the past — for example, in relation to anti-smoking. The bureau has now adopted a life-cycle model in framing its programme format in an effort to identify key issues, phases and needs in health and illness throughout the life cycle. The overall aim of the bureau's new approach to health education is to provide the means and opportunities for all vulnerable people to protect, maintain and improve their health as far as educational methods permit.
Because of the nature of the bureau's revised approach to programme planning which concentrates through its component parts on phases in the life cycle — for example, infancy, childhood, mid-life and later life — costings are not readily available for the individual aspects of programmes. There are in fact ten programmes, each one having a single overall costing figure in respect of its separate core elements.
I am forwarding a copy of the bureau's programme for 1982 to the Deputy.
In view of my particular concern over the increasing problem of substance abuse generally, including drugs, glue, alcohol, nicotine etc., I allocated an additional £250,000 to the bureau for use in 1982 to enable it to undertake an urgent national programme of counselling and preventive education.
In 1981 the bureau spent a total of £177,809 on positive health promotion and public education in relation to anti-smoking. There was no similar concentration on alcohol in that year and no expenditure on public education in relation to drug abuse. The bureau also initiated a long-term research study into smoking and drinking behaviour attitudes at a cost of £25,000. In connection with alcohol, a sum of £12,648 was spent on a seminar, production of materials and publications.