§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the relationship between the availability on prescription of benzodiazepine tranquillisers and the problems of drug addiction; and whether the introduction of limited list prescribing has contributed towards alleviating this situation.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkePatients can become dependent upon benzodiazepines if they are prescribed over a prolonged period. The guidelines of good clinical practice in the treatment of drug misuse which the Chief Medical Officer issued to all doctors last year contain guidance on the management of withdrawal from dependence on benzodiazepines. It is too early to be certain that the selected list has had a significant lasting effect on prescribing of these drugs.