§ 24. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the heavy increase in the value of imports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products during 1954, as compared with 1953; and to what extent this increase is due to increased imports from the United States of America.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftYes, Sir. Nearly 60 per cent.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the case of certain products, such as antibiotics, the imports are more than double those of the previous figure? Will he do something more to encourage home production of these products, in view of the many firms in this country which are producing goods of that kind?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI imagine that the imports have increased because some of the new drugs have been developed and produced in the United States, and I think it is right that the people of this country should have access to them.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in many cases this involves some fairly heavy payments to the United States, which makes a considerable drain on our dollar resources?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI am as anxious as anyone to conserve our dollar resources. We have to spend them wisely. However, I should have thought that we should have hesitated before we restricted the supply of up-to-date drugs for healing sickness.