§ Mr. Pavitt asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which 10 drugs purchased by the National Health Service attract the highest costs; and what percentage each cost represents of the total of pharmaceutical expenditure.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg: Information about the total costs of medicines supplied to the National Health Service by individual companies is confidential between the Department and the companies concerned and could not be divulged without a breach of confidence.
§ Pharmaceutical Company (Member's Correspondence)
§ Mr. Pavitt asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will examine National Health Service expenditure with the pharmaceutical company, the name 484W of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South, which made profits in excess of £150 million in 1980.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg: The figure quoted by the hon. Member relates to world-wide trade in both pharmaceuticals and other products. Supply of medicines to the NHS accounted for only a very small proportion of the total.