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Mr. Blunkett
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has for each year since 1988 on the prevalence of 11 to 15-year-old smokers.
Mr. Sackville
Information relating to the prevalence of smoking among 11 to 15-year-olds is available from the biennial Office of Population Censuses and Surveys "Smoking Among Secondary School Children", as shown in the table. A copy of the publication IN available in the Library.
| Prevalence of smoking cigarettes among secondary school children, by sex England 1988–90 | ||||||
| Per cent. | ||||||
| Age | ||||||
| All Pupils | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
| Boys 1988 | ||||||
| Regular | 7 | — | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 |
| Occasional | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| 1990 | ||||||
| Regular | 9 | — | 2 | 6 | 10 | 25 |
| Occasional | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| Girls 1988 | ||||||
| Regular | 9 | — | — | 4 | 12 | 22 |
| Occasional | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| 1990 | ||||||
| Regular | 11 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 25 |
| Occasional | 6 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
Notes:
1. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole figure.
2. "—": nil or less than 0·5.
Source: OPCS Smoking Among Secondary School Children. Definitions: Regular smokers are those pupils who smoke at least one cigarette a week. Current smokers who smoke less than one cigarette a week are classified as occasional smokers.