§ Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Industry what changes he intends to make concerning the sponsorship responsibilities of his Department for proprietary medicines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. VarleyAt present, sponsorship responsibilities for the pharmaceutical production industry are divided between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Industry. Following discussions between our two Departments, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has agreed with me that it would be in the best interests of the industry as a whole that there should be common sponsorship 353W for all products of the pharmaceutical industry and that this rôle should fall to the Department of Health and Social Security.
With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, functional responsibility for sponsorship of proprietary medicines will, therefore, be transferred from my Department to the Department of Health and Social Security from today.