I WAS extremely concerned to see the national Tory party is claiming in an article on its website, that "the simple fact is that there is absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that passive smoking has ever killed anyone."

It is difficult to imagine a more irresponsible claim being made by any politician, particularly given the effects of passive smoking on children.

Scientific evidence is well established, even the United States Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Richard H Carmona, a combat-decorated Vietnam veteran appointed by President Bush, hardly a politically correct liberal, says that environmental tobacco smoke (passive smoking) kills 3,000 people in the US every year.

For the Conservatives to promote the view that passive smoking never killed anyone is extremely worrying and most reprehensible.

I believe that every effort should be made to persuaded Michael Howard to withdraw this article and to do so publicly.

Until then, it begs the question has past funding from tobacco companies influenced the Tory party's health policy?

BARONESS DELYTH MORGAN Keirby Walk, Burnley.