§ 33. Mr. Deanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to bring about a meeting between the pharmaceutical and medical professions to discuss the question of dispensing in rural areas.
§ Mr. CrossmanI have made clear that in my view it will be best if in the first place any discussions are arranged by the professions themselves. My Department will be glad to take part as soon as the professions consider that this would be useful.
§ Mr. DeanI am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for that answer. Can he give any indication about any help that he might be giving to the professions, or using his good offices, to try to bring them together on this?
§ Mr. CrossmanNo, Sir. What I said in my answer is literally true. I think they will he better if they get on on their own, rather than that I should intervene.
§ Mr. EllisDoes my right hon. Friend agree that there is strong feeling on the pharmaceutical side that the Minister has been nobbled by the B.M.A. on this 650 question? Will be therefore go to the B.M.A. and say that there are grounds for looking at this again?
§ Mr. CrossmanI think it may be true that the pharmaceutical side, which had hoped that I would impose what had previously been assumed to be an agreed solution,, was disappointed when I did not.