§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on drug licensing and surveillance by the medicines division of his Department;
(2) if he will introduce legislation leading to the establishment of an independent medicines board with appropriate financing; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Government have no plans to change the arrangements for the licensing and control of medicines. We have recently set up a review "to examine the issues for DHSS arising from the continued increases in licence applications and other work under the Medicines Act and to recommend ways of dealing expeditiously with this work, while maintaining adequate standards for the safety, efficacy and quality of human medicines in the United Kingdom".