§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
VISCOUNT GAGEMy Lords, this is a Bill of a purely formal character which involves no new question of principle or policy. It is really in the nature of a drafting amendment to the National Insurance Act, 1936, and it has become necessary through changes of nomenclature introduced by the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933. I do not think it is necessary to describe this Bill in any great detail to your Lordships. Your Lordships are aware that contracts are made usually by the insurance committee of each county or county borough with chemists for the supply of medicines to insured persons. Since the beginning of the national health insurance scheme, corporate bodies equally with individuals 356 have been entitled to enter into these contracts, provided that dispensing is carried out by or under the direct supervision of qualified pharmacists. When the consolidating National Health Insurance Act, 1936, was being framed the persons entitled to undertake dispensing for health insurance purposes were described in language which was considered to be the true effect of existing enactments, but since then doubts have arisen whether the words used actually cover the case of corporate bodies, and it appears that Parliament may unwittingly have deprived them of the rights which they have always had. This Bill substitutes more appropriate words with the object of regularising the contracts which have already been entered into with corporate bodies, and of making it clear that they can be entered into in future on the same basis as before the Act of 1936 was passed. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Viscount Gage.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.