§ 26. Mr. WATTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether medical insurance committees can be sued for supplies of drugs which they have purchased, received, and passed, or whether these committees have the privilege of Government Departments of not being amenable to the Courts of the land; and, if the latter, will he introduce legislation altering the principle of a purchasing body being able to pay or not pay, as seems to them convenient, for goods purchased?
§ The COMPTROLLER of the HOUSEHOLD (Mr. Charles Roberts)The circumstances under which insurance committees contract for the supply of drugs are not as stated in the question; but I may, however, refer my hon. Friend to Section 30 of the National Insurance Act, 1913, which provides that every insurance committee shall be a body corporate and may sue and be sued.
§ 32. Mr. O'GRADYasked the hon. Member for Lincoln, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, how many cases of inaccurate dispensing of prescriptions have occurred within the last six months: whether the Commissioners are satisfied that any inaccuracies which have occurred arose from the fact that dispensing has been carried on by unqualified men and boys who have not been apprenticed to a registered chemist and druggist; whether in all such cases of inaccurate dispensing the registered chemist who is responsible in law will be struck off the panel of insurance dispensers; and whether, in view of the danger arising from the fact of inaccurate dispensing, a committee of inquiry will be set up to go into the whole matter and report to this House with recommendations to remove the danger?
§ Mr. ROBERTSThe particulars asked for in the first part of the question are not available, but I have no reason to 1345 suspect the existence of any circumstances which call for such an inquiry as is suggested. If, however, my hon. Friend has any specific case in mind and will let me have particulars, I shall be happy to make inquiries and let him know the result.