Health authorities advised not to sue

Health minister Tessa Jowell has warned health authorities not to sue tobacco companies for the costs of treating smokers' illnesses.

Mrs Jowell said she did not want to see health authorities tied up in costly legal action. The decision on whether to sue should be made by the Government, she insisted.

A group of health authorities led by Croydon in south London had earlier appeared ready to sue the tobacco industry, buoyed up by last week's historic pounds 225bn legal settlement in America. US tobacco companies have agreed to pay the money into a compensation fund to help cancer victims in return for legal immunity. It has been estimated that a similar group action against British tobacco firms could net pounds 25bn. Jeremy Laurance