§ 13. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Health whether the Inter-Departmental Working Party on legislation about medicines will receive evidence from the Medical Panel of the Advertising Inquiry Committee.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 22nd February to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. F. Noel-Baker).
§ Mr. SkeffingtonUnfortunately, I do not know what that reply was. In view of the fact that the Medical Panel has already received very disquieting information from quite a number of reputable bodies associated with this inquiry, will the Minister reconsider his decision if it was unfavourable from the point of view I am putting?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe hon. Member is putting a pessimistic hypothesis. I did say that the Committee concerned had received an invitation to submit a memorandum.
§ 14. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Health whether he will revise regulations governing the declaration of contents of proprietary medicines to bring within them products on direct sale to the public containing dangerous substances.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithSection 11 of the Pharmacy and Medicines Act, 1941, already prohibits the sale by retail of any article consisting of or comprising a substance recommended as a medicine unless the composition is disclosed.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonIs the Minister aware, as I am sure he is, that there are still a number of remedies, many of which are available in connection with slimming, and some forms of tranquilisers, whose names I do not want to mention and so advertise now, which are considered by many people to be rather dangerous? Will he have another look at this?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithMy understanding is that at any rate the general run of tranquilisers and stimulants, in so far as they are recommended as medicines, do come within the ambit of Section 11 of this Act.