§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make the irresponsible prescribing of drugs a criminal act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggUnder the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 the Secretary of State may, subject to certain statutory procedures, give a direction against any practitioner who in his opinion is or has been prescribing any controlled drugs in an irresponsible manner, prohibiting him from prescribing any or all controlled drugs. It is an offence to contravene such a direction. These provisions seem to us sufficient.