§ Mr. FavellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the cost of the implementation of European Community draft directive document No. 6033/90 on medical products to(a) the Exchequer (i) directly and (ii) channelled via the European institutions, (b) industry and (c) the British consumer.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) on 16 July at column139. The net cost would fall on the Exchequer; it would not affect the European Community budget nor the level of patient payments in the NHS. The transfer of sales from generic to research-based companies would be greater than the net cost to the taxpayer.