HC Deb 19 April 1995 vol 258 cc195-6W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those mines where the British Coal occupational health service currently maintains responsibility for the holding of pethidine; in which mines pethidine is currently(a) held and (b) not held; and if he will make a statement. [19389]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Mines are covered by a group licence issued by the Home Office to enable them to hold certain controlled drugs, including pethidine, on site for emergency use.

The British Coal Corporation's occupational health service currently maintains responsibility for the supply of pethidine to the following mines:

  • Annesley/Bentinck
  • Asfordby
  • Bilsthorpe
  • Calverton
  • Clipstone
  • Daw Mill
  • Ellington
  • Francis
  • Gascoigne Wood
  • Hatfield
  • 196
  • Harworth
  • Kellingley
  • Longannet
  • Maltby
  • Markham
  • North Selby
  • Point of Ayr
  • Prince of Wales
  • Riccall
  • Rossington
  • Stillingfleet
  • Thoresby
  • Tower
  • Welbeck
  • Wistow
  • Whitemoor

At present, all these mines hold pethidine on site.

British Coal has no responsibility for occupational health services at the following mines:

  • Betwys
  • Coventry
  • Monktonhall
  • Silverdale
  • Trentham/Hem Health

None of these mines currently holds pethidine on site.

Mr. McMaster

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the legislative differences relating to drugs which are classified as schedule 3 as compared with those classified as schedule 4; and if he will make a statement. [19015]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The differences between the controls on drugs in schedule 3 and schedule 4 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 are as follows:

  • possession of schedule 3 drugs requires authority. Possession of schedule 4 drugs does not require authority when they are in the form of medicinal products;
  • import and export licences are required for schedule 3 drugs but not for schedule 4 drugs;
  • certain schedule 3 drugs are subject to the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 which require them to be kept in a locked cabinet or locked receptacle. The remaining schedule 3 and all schedule 4 drugs are exempted from these requirements;
  • schedule 3 drugs are subject to specific requisitioning requirements; prescriptions must be handwritten by doctors; supply on prescription is subject to certain requirements; and there are labelling requirements for some containers. Schedule 4 drugs are exempted from these requirements.