Examining the case for plain packaging of tobacco products has wasted £200,000 worth of taxpayers’ money, Shipley MP Philip Davies claims.

He has dismissed the “nanny state” move as a waste of money, which would do little to improve health and could threaten packaging industry jobs in the Bradford district.

The non-smoker said people had a right to make their own choices and there were better things to spend money on. He said: “People will be shocked to find out there was no agreed budget in advance of the review into plain packaging, especially given evidence has shown that despite it being introduced in Australia in 2012 it had little impact on numbers of people smoking.”

Sir Cyril Chantler was asked to undertake an independent review to look at whether there is likely to be an effect on public health, particularly for children, if standardised tobacco packaging were to be introduced.

Health Minister Jane Ellison admitted there was “no agreed budget in advance of the review” but an estimate of £177,000 was made for planning purposes and commissioning “expert advice” cost £15,000 plus VAT.

She added: “Sir Cyril had control of his own budget and expenditure was passed to the Department and approved in the normal way. Sir Cyril travelled to Australia in March 2014, and attended meetings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. Further details of those meetings are available on the Review’s webpage.”

Mr Davies said: “People have a right to make their own decisions. Too much money has been wasted on this nanny-state project and there has been little thought for how this could affect jobs if it goes ahead. It will inevitably lead to a rise in illegal smuggled cigarettes too.”

Around half the 65 jobs at the £10 million Weidenhammer composite can factory at Buttershaw, depended on the German-owned company’s trade with Japanese International Tobacco, for which it exports packaging, mainly to France and Germany.

Weidenhammer general manager Paul Barber had previously said tobacco packaging accounted for around 40 per cent of turnover and a move to enforce plain packaging would pose a serious threat to their Bradford operations.

The campaign against plain packaging has been led by a consortium of firms, including Weidenhammer and Chesapeake, which has operations in Bradford, and co-ordinated by Mike Ridgway, a former senior executive at both companies.

He said: “The tax revenue on tobacco products in the UK alone in excise duty and VAT is £13 billion a year and current illicit trade is worth £3 billion a year, or £8 million a day believe that when the final decision is being taken then such matters will be become more prominent."