§ Mr. Jack Ashley (Stoke-on-Trent, South)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the need for the Government to take action to restrict wherever possible the use of drugs supplied to the National Health Service by the Merrel drug company in view of that company's discrimination against the parents of children in Europe who may have suffered damage as a result of the use of the drug Debendox, compared with those parents so affected in the United States.The matter is specific because the drug company has offered to pay £92 million to children in the United States who have claimed damages. The company has no intention of paying money to children in Britain who have made a similar claim. This outrageous discriminaion overlooks the fact that geography is irrelevant. The sole criterion for paying compensation for damage should be whether children have been damaged by the drug.The matter is important because by this manoeuvre the Merrel drug company is trying to evade the legal consequences of using that drug. It now says that the drug was safe. It would say that, would it not? No company would pay £92 million without good reason. The proposed settlement is a £92 million surrender document. It is a surrender to powerful interests in the United States, who have felt for these children. The company has no intention of paying compensation to children in Britain. That is wrong and discriminatory.
The matter is urgent because Merrel should be told immediately that the British Parliament has no intention of accepting discrimination against British children. The Government should take immediate action. The Government have a powerful weapon, because they are major customers of the Merrel drug company and can advise British general practitioners to use drugs from other companies where possible.
I suggest a selective boycott of the Merrel company by the Government, using National Health Service purchasing powers, until this discrimination against British children is ended. The Government should fight for our children.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
the need for the Government to take action to restrict wherever possible the use of drugs supplied to the National Health Service by the Merrel drug company in view of that company's discrimination against the parents of children in Europe who may have suffered damage as a result of the use of the drug Debendox, compared with those parents so affected in the United States.I listened carefully to what the right hon. Gentleman said, but I regret that I do not consider the matter to be appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10 and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.