§ Mrs. PeacockTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average length of time taken to deal with applications to variations to product licences in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The licensing authority is currently examining ways in which better statistical information can be produced, using new technology wherever possible. The time taken to process an application to vary a product licence can be days or months, depending upon the nature of the variation (for example, it may require extensive pharmaceutical or medical consideration) or on the number of applications being dealt with by the licensing authority at any one time.