§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the proportion of unfilled posts of recruitment grade of professional pharmaceutical posts within the Medicines Control Agency; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what are the likely effects on the works of the Medicines Control Agency of relaxation of the experience requirement on new recruits to the agency; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanAround half of the recruitment grade of professional pharmaceutical posts are unfilled at present.
Medicines division, which will become the Medicines Control Agency from 1 April 1989, has recently advertised for candidates to fill vacancies in the agency concerned with the assessment of the quality of product licence applications. To widen the field, qualifications in both 419W pharmacy and sciences related to pharmacy have been asked for. This does not mean there will be any relaxation in the standards of ability and experience that successful candidates will be required to possess. After the necessary training has been given, the overall effect of filling the vacancies will be to shorten the time needed by the licensing authority to assess the quality of product licence applications.