HC Deb 02 November 1989 vol 159 cc312-3W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to reconsider the discount clawback arrangements in respect of purchases of parallel imported medicines by community pharmacists.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

No.

Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has of the number of community pharmacists who now trade in parallel imports of pharmaceuticals; and what was the figure up to 1 May 1988.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We do not routinely collect information on the number of pharmacies which dispense parallel imported medicines. An inquiry conducted in 1986 showed that about 1,600 pharmacies were using parallel imports at that time. A further inquiry is taking place this year.

Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value of imports of pharmaceuticals from Greece in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 to the latest available figures.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

I understand that the information requested, which is contained in division 54 of table 2 of the overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom, which is available in the Library, is as follows:

£'000
1986 4,075
1987 6,728
1988 11,845
11989 9,652

January to August