§ 3. Mr. CHARLES PRICEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the War has created a shortage in the supply of upwards of 100 drugs, preparations, and appliances in common use, with consequent great increase in the cost price; that a schedule including only fifteen simple drugs has been issued by the Insurance Commissioners with a scheme for making additional payments to panel chemists who are in agreement to supply every demand at drug tariff rates to insurance committees; and that Scottish panel chemists have made representations to the Insurance Commissioners that the schedule is totally inadequate and the scheme for increased payment impracticable and illusory; and will he sanction the immediate acceptance by the Scottish Insurance Commissioners of the plan of a special war tariff for drugs and appliances submitted on behalf of the Scottish panel chemists by the Pharmaceutical Standing Committee of Scotland or otherwise secure immediate relief for panel chemists, who are suffering hardship from being compelled to continue supplying at much less than cost price?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN (Lord of the Treasury)The panel chemists under their contracts are legally bound to supply drugs and medicines at the tariff prices up to the end of the year, but the Government, recognising that the increase in the cost of certain important classes of drugs would involve hardship to the chemists if they were held strictly to their agreement", took action some weeks ago, and an arrangement has been made, after consultation with the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, under which the chemists will receive some additional payment over and above the tariff rate in the case of certain drugs which are used on a large scale and which the Insurance Commissioners were satisfied had increased considerably in price in consequence of the War. This concession was made as an act of grace, and it must not be assumed that the Government can find means of making good the whole of any losses which chemists may suffer as a result of the War in common with other 852 classes of the community. A representation of the nature described in my hon. Friend's question has been received and is now under consideration. The matter is highly complicated and difficult, and in the present state of the information in the possession of the Government it is not possible to say what course may ultimately prove to be the most equitable in all the circumstances.