To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the time taken to produce National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on smoking cessation techniques; and if he will make a statement. (183153)

The Department is informed that there has been no delay to the production of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) public health programme guidance on smoking cessation. NICE expects to publish its guidance in February 2008 as planned. Further information on this guidance can be found on NICE'S website at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID&o=11676