Pharmacies (Hansard, 9 April 2003)

§ Mr. Mark Francois (Rayleigh)
My petition bears more than 2,500 signatures from my constituents, who are very concerned about proposals from the Office of Fair Trading that could lead to the closure of a number of local pharmacies. Signatures were collected at pharmacies throughout my constituency, and the petition was presented to me recently at the Ferry pharmacy in Hullbridge, owned by Mr. Yogesh Patel. It reads as follows: To the Honourable Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. The Humble Petition of the constituents of Rayleigh in Essex Sheweth, That local communities are best served by local pharmacies and that the OFT's recommendations to abolish the "control of entry" regulations could seriously damage local pharmacies. Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House shall urge the Government to reject proposals that could damage the operation of local pharmacies and instead to preserve them and to safeguard their continued services to local communities. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.

§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)
It gives me great pleasure to present a petition from the residents of my constituency on a subject about which I feel passionate, and to which I give full support. The petition Declares that we are concerned at the Office of Fair Trading report on NHS control of entry regulations and retail pharmacy services in the UK. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Secretary of State for Health to reject proposals that would allow 374 unrestricted opening of pharmacies able to dispense NHS prescriptions, and to preserve local pharmacies and safeguard their continued services to local communities. And the Petitioners remain etc.
The first signature is that of Mrs. Gillian Treharne. The total number of signatures is 1,320.

§ Dr. Andrew Murrison (Westbury)
I too rise to present a petition in support of community pharmacies, and I am pleased to follow my hon. Friends the Members for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) and for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) in so doing.
The petition, which is signed by 1,643 constituents and others, reads as follows: To the House of Commons. The Petition of the users of dispensing chemists in the Westbury constituency and others Declares that the proposals of the Office of Fair Trading to allow unrestricted opening of pharmacies would be harmful. The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to reject those proposals by the Office of Fair Trading, and to preserve and safeguard the services offered by local pharmacies to their communities. And your Petitioners remain, etc.

§ Mr. Christopher Chope (Christchurch)
I, too, have pleasure in presenting a petition of users of the Parley Cross pharmacy, which is in my constituency. This is the third such petition that I have presented from users of community pharmacies in the Christchurch constituency.
These constituents are amazed that the Government in England are still in two minds about this issue, given that we hear from a Minister in Northern Ireland that he has already decided to reject these proposals, as indeed have the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.
This petition, like the others, declares: To the House of Commons. The Petition of users of the Parley Cross pharmacy in the Christchurch constituency Declares that the proposals of the Office of Fair Trading to allow the unrestricted opening of pharmacies able to dispense NHS prescriptions will result in a decline in the availability and quality of local health care currently provided from community pharmacies. The Petitioners request that the House of Commons urge the Government to reject these proposals by the Office of Fair Trading, and to promote the NHS pharmacy plan to encourage and support local community pharmacies.