§ 37. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health if he will specify the regulations under which he has statutory powers for obtaining information about costs of pharmaceutical firms supplying drugs to the National Health Service.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. J. Enoch Powell)Under Regulation 55AA of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939, as amended and continued in force by the Emergency Laws (Repeal) Act, 1959, firms supplying medical supplies for the National Health Service may be required to furnish such information relating to the undertaking as may be prescribed.
§ Mr. RobinsonIs not the Minister's reply, which we welcome, somewhat in conflict with what the Financial Secretary to the Treasury said to my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Mr. H. Wilson) in last November's debate on 28 the Report of the Public Accounts Committee? Is the Minister now satisfied that he is in a position to extract all the information he requires from the drug manufacturing companies?
§ Mr. PowellAs I think the hon. Member knows, this Question serves to fill in the detail of a brief statement which was made by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary. While the powers are here, this is not necessarily the most effective way of getting the information which is required.