Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what modelling his Department has carried out to assess the potential impact of its swap to stop policy on the Government's ability to achieve its smoke free 2030 target.

Modelling for our Swap to Stop policy has to date been based on effective pilot schemes across the country. For example, in Salford a pilot successfully engaged with over 1,000 smokers, many of whom were from the most deprived communities. Of those smokers who remained engaged in the four-week scheme, 62% were recorded as having successfully quit, by means of carbon monoxide verification. This is a fourfold increase in the number of successful quitters compared to the equivalent period the year before, when the scheme had not been in operation.

As announced on 11 April 2023, our vision for the new national Swap to Stop scheme is to offer a million smokers a free vaping kit alongside expert behavioural support. The impact of the scheme on our Smokefree 2030 ambition will be further modelled following the completion of the first wave of the programme in the coming months.