Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64433 on Smoking: Health Services, if he will take steps to use (a) A&E, (b) lung screening and (c) other new NHS services to automatically enrol smokers into cessation services.

The 10-Year Health Plan committed to ensuring that all hospitals integrate ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care. Within their 2025/26 allocations, integrated care boards have access to funding to support the rollout of tobacco dependency treatment services in hospital settings, including acute and mental health inpatient settings and maternity services. Where inpatients are identified as a smoker, including those in cancer-related services or undergoing cancer treatment, the expectation would be for them to receive an opt-out referral to talk to a specialist and subsequently make an informed decision about accessing treatment tailored to their needs.

Future funding decisions, including any decision to expand tobacco dependency treatment services across routine care, are subject to the Spending Review process.