§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy not to issue product licences for parallel imports for products originating from countries that are not members of the pharmaceutical inspection committee.
§ Mr. MellorNo. The United Kingdom product licence (parallel import) scheme covers products from any member state of the European Community. To discriminate against those member states which are not members of the pharmaceutical inspection convention (PIC) might be interpreted as a quantitative restriction on imports and as such would offend article 30 of the treaty of Rome.