§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were assisted by his Department to 37W withdraw from benzodiazepines in drug and alcohol treatment centres in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the cost of this.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not hold this information centrally.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom economy, in terms of lost production and sick pay, through people addicted to benzodiazepines.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not have the information to enable us to make such an estimate.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has carried out studies into the number of people who become epileptic after withdrawing from benzodiazepines.
§ Mr. MellorNo.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on attempts made by the pharmaceutical industry to assist people addicted to benzodiazepines to withdraw from the drug and as to whether any compensation scheme is being considered by the industry.
§ Mr. MellorWe have no information on attempts made by the pharmaceutical industry to assist people addicted to benzodiazepines to withdraw from the drugs.
It must be for the pharmaceutical industry to decide whether it wishes to set up its own no-fault compensation scheme.