§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has not included a pharmacist on the National Health Service Supply Council; what proportion of the total National Health Service finances was spent on pharmaceutical services last year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinRegional health authorities have been asked to nominate seven members of the new council and they are free to select whom they please. In addition, I intend that the council shall have power to set up committees which may include appropriate representatives of the various disciplines in the National Health Service.
I do not expect that the supply council's activities will impinge on pharmaceuticals supplied under the family practitioner service. Excluding them, expenditure on pharmaceutical services in the year ended 31 March 1979 was just over 3 per cent. of the revenue expenditure for the Health Service.