§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many doctors he has issued with a direction restricting their ability to prescribe drugs in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and so far in 1984.
§ Mr. MellorUnder the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 a direction may be made against a medical practitioner under the provisions of either section 12—following a conviction for an offence against that Act or for certain offences against the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979—or section 13, which deals with prescribing certain controlled drugs to addicts when unlicensed, failure to notify cases of addiction and the prescribing of controlled drugs in an irresponsible manner.
The number of directions made since 1980 is as follows:
Number of directions made Year Section 12 Section 13 1980 — 1 1981 — — 1982 2 — 1983 — 3 *1984 2 †2 * To date. † These have been made under the "temporary direction" provisions of section 15 and have yet to be confirmed by reference to tribunals.