asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what average age he estimates that the 50,000 people who die prematurely as a result of smoking will die; and how this compares with the national average age.

On the basis of the available information, the Royal College of Physicians calculated in its report " Smoking or Health " (page 32) that the average loss of life of a smoker of 20 cigarettes per day is about five years, and that on average each cigarette smoked reduces an habitual smoker's life by about five-and-a-half minutes.