HC Deb 21 December 1979 vol 976 c436W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long prison orderlies have been able to supply unprescribed drugs to prisoners.

Mr. Whitelaw

Prison medical officers have discretion to allow hospital officers or other members of staff to hold stocks of medicines which are freely available to the public without prescription, and, subject to their general instructions, to issue them to prisoners who ask for them.