§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions discussion has taken place between his Department and private drug companies on proposals to sell off out-of-date blood for the companies to recycle into reagents and blood products; if he will name the companies involved; and if he will now consider discontinuing such discussions.
62Wfigures of staff in each main NHS staff group are available. Apart from medical and dental staff and nursing and midwifery staff, it is not possible to distinguish satisfactorily those employed in hospitals. The numbers of staff employed in hospitals shown in the following table are, therefore, in respect of these two groups only.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Department held confidential discussions with one British company that expressed an interest in purchasing outdated red cells surplus to NHS requirements for the manufacture of reagents. The company concerned has since decided not to purchase the cells.