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94 Vkt-M $U.N. Emki.0 SWIESIL
T,"60-IM-917 0"
21 June 1991
si Patrick Sheehy A/
Chrairman 4W-M
BAT Industries plc
Windsor' House 1,4
so Victoria Street
LONDON SWIH ONL
L
Thank you for your letter of 16 gay about our
policy on cco and the aid
programme. As you mentioned, Mr Bramley wrote to
me an the same subject.
It is not clear however whether you have seen a
copy of my reply. I enclose
a copy for your convenience. 111,04,0r~k, e,-
A major concern of the Government in administering
the aid provamii-eis the
overall welfare of recipient countries. Health
problems facing developing
countries are serious. That is why the ODA, in
collaboration with
internati.onal agencies such as the WHO and
UNICEF, is helping to tackle
them. B,;t I .annot ignore the latest WHO
projections for tobacco-related
deaths.
The WHO's "Tobacco Alert" of January 1991 reported
that in the current
decade, out of a total of around three million
tobacco-related deaths each
year. some one million will occur in the third
world. On current smoking
patterns a total of ten million tobacco-related
deaths per year are Maly
to occur by the early 2030s. over five million of
which will be In
developing countries. Half of those who die will
be between the ages of 35
tragedy will have enormous economic costs, not
only in
and 89. This human
the loss of productive manpower, but also in terms
of the burden on health
care system with which many developing country
governments are ill-placed
to cope. It was in the light of this that the
Goverment decided that we
shouLd not use the aid programme to further the
production or pmeessing of
tobacco.
These arguments also apply 'in Eastern Europe
where health services, and
,r,t while, their
indeed all government services are under great
pre,.~su
economies are being reformed.
TIS
/I recognize the
C:)
all
BAT Industries document for Province of British
Columbia 23 April 1999


I recognise the importance of tobacco growing to a
small number of
developing countries. I accept our change in
policy will not prevent them
from growing or processing tobacco. But neither
will the change in policy
towards tobacco affect our overall volume of aid
to the countries concerned.
Where tobacco-growing countries seek assistance
from us to improve
agricultural practices in general, to enhance
fuelwood supplies, or to
diversify agricultural production away from
tobacco, we will respond
positively.
You express surprise that BAT Industries were not
consulted about this
policy change. I understand that BAT have had
access to foreign currency
provided to developing country governments under
our programme aid
arrangements for balance of payment support, but
was not aware that your
company has received direct financial assistance
for its activities from the
British Government. That is why I do' e that prior
consultation was
ASe
necessary. I wrote to Mr Bramley at the time of
the announcement as a
courtesy.
LYNDA
C>
BAT Industries document for Province of British
Columbia 23 April 1999