§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will inquire into the volume of illnesses caused by abuses of medicines and the information contained upon this in the Pharmaceutical Journal, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Willesden, West.
§ Mr. AlisonI am advised that inquiry as proposed by the hon. Member would be unlikely further to illuminate any problem in this country which may not, of course, be the same as that which obtains elsewhere. In order to reduce the danger of abuse the Medicines Commission is considering which medicines should be confined to prescription only and which are sufficiently safe to be permitted for general sale. Medicines not on either list will be sold at pharmacies only.
When the commission's advice is received by Ministers, and after the necessary consultations with interested bodies, regulations under the Medicines Act to put the relevant safeguards into effect will be laid before Parliament.
470Wbroken down by pits or areas in a convenient way, since the start of the present dispute.
§ Mr. DeanThe figures are shown in the following table. The regions shown do not necessarily coincide with National Coal Board areas.