§ Dr. Goodson-WickesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had recently about a possible rescheduling of temazepam; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanIn view of the current level of misuse, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has been reviewing the statutory controls on temazepam. In November 1992 the council recommended in principle that the supply and possession of the drug should be subject to stricter controls and that it should be transferred from schedule 4 to schedule 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985.
The Home Office subsequently sought comments on this proposal from over 100 organisations and profession-al bodies, including the principal manufacturers of temazepam. The advisory council has recently considered the responses to this consultation, and I expect shortly to receive its conclusions.