§ 12. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Minister of Health why no charge is made for medicine bottles supplied under the National Health Service; what is being done to maintain an adequate supply; and what action is being taken to prevent wastage of bottles.
§ Mr. ChetwyndCan my right hon. Friend give an estimate of the number of bottles which have been issued and the very small percentage returned in the same condition?
§ Mr. BevanI could not give that estimate. I think it would require an enormous amount of clerical work to collect it and I should imagine that the amount of work involved in getting the information would exceed the expenditure on the bottles.
§ Mr. HarrisonIs there any indication of when these considerations will result in some action from my right hon. Friend's Department?
§ Mr. BevanAfter all, the Health Service has only been in operation for six months and it is necessary to collect information so that we can take action which is intelligent action. It will not be very long.
§ Mr. HarrisonIt is a very simple matter.