§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider changing the 1974 1-mile regulation applying to dispensing doctors; what representations he has received regarding the possible change of the regulation; and if he will consider the possibility of introducing a 5-kilometre rule.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAt the specific request of the representative bodies of the medical and pharmaceutical professions we are implementing the recommendations of their joint committee on the dispensing of NHS prescriptions in rural areas, so that there will be regulation of local arrangements for such dispensing. The professions' joint committee gave detailed consideration to the 1-mile rule and concluded that within its recommendations for regulation it should remain unchanged.