§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) if his attention has been drawn to the case of H. J. S., a qualified dispenser under the Apothecaries Act, who has been conducting a drug store and dispensing behind a chemists' counter, and can show testimonials from five medical men for whom he acted as doctor's dispenser for many years, but who was precluded from dispensing under the Act as he did not occupy this position for the three years immediately prior to the passing of the Act, but was conducting a store pharmacy; will the Commissioners make regulations to remedy this hardship; (2) whether his attention has been called to the case of G. E., gold medallist in dispensing and pharmacy, who, after four years' apprenticeship to a chemist and druggist, paying a premium, has been occupied for twenty-five years as assistant, manager, dispenser, and in business on his own account, and was, amongst other 426W experience, dispenser for over three years in the Welsh coalfields and manager to one of the leading firms of chemists; is he aware that G. E. has been precluded from going on the panel of chemists under the Act; will the Commissioners make regulations under Section 78 to remedy this hardship; (3) if his attention has been called to the case of T. H. G., who has been a dispenser for twenty-eight years in two situations, and also dispenser to various doctors and institutions, after serving an apprenticeship to a qualified pharmacist, and is now conducting a drug store; will he state whether this man is precluded from going on the panel of chemists under the National Insurance Act; if so, what regulation is it proposed to make to remedy this case of hardship; and (4) if his attention has been called to the case of C. R. W., a trained dispenser of twenty-five years' experience, who is debarred from dispensing medicines for insured persons as he was not a doctor's dispenser for three years immediately prior to the passing of the National Insurance Act, while men with similar but far more limited experience are regarded as qualified; and will the Commissioners make regulations to remove this hardship?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe conditions under which persons are allowed to arrange with insurance committees to supply medicines requiring dispensing, to dispense medicines for other persons or firms who are supplying them, and to supply drugs not requiring dispensing and appliances, respectively, are laid down in explicit terms in Section 15 of the National Insurance Act, and in the other Acts determining the conditions under which medicines are supplied, and the Commissioners have no power to alter them by Regulations.