§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what study he 418W has made of the pay-back from the discovery of new drugs, compared to the position a decade ago, in relation to his responsibility for the effect of the patent laws as they affect the production of medicines;
(2) what estimate he has made of the disincentive effect on research and development of a lengthening of the patent life of drugs.
§ Mr. AlisonThe Banks Committee examined the effects of patent life on research and development for new drugs. They recommended that as with other patentable items the life of drug patents should be extended to 20 years. I see no reason to differ from the committee's conclusions, which were welcomed in the report of the Pharmaceuticals Working Party of the Chemicals Economic Development Council in the context of the discussion on research and development.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that Great Britain's National Health Service pays some 30 per cent. less for pharmaceuticals than leading Japanese and EEC health authorities, what action he proposes.
§ Mr. AlisonPrices are often but not always lower in this country, but international price comparisons are not necessarily a reliable guide to the reasonableness of prices. I am satisfied that our price regulation arrangements provide a proper means of settling the price of medicines in this country fair both to the National Health Service and to the manufacturers.