Smoking
The question
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of tobacco excise in reducing smoking prevalence.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson
Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. As set out in the ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023.
Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics
The commitment to a tobacco duty escalator which increases duty at RPI+2% inflation at each Budget was renewed at Autumn Budget 2024 until the end of the current Parliament. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside the Budget setting out the impacts
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