§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names of the members of the Medicines Control Agency together with their(a) other employers, (b) other voluntary and paid work undertaken, (c) length of service and (d) areas of expertise; if he will set out the reasons for their appointment in each case; and if he will make a statement. [9653]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Medicines Control Agency, MCA, is an agency of the Department of Health whose staff are employees of the Department of Health on standard civil service terms and conditions.
Decisions regarding the licensing of medicines are made by the licensing authority—United Kingdom Health Ministers. For all new drugs, the licensing authority seeks the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines before deciding whether they should be licensed.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the(a) total and (b) percentage of funding provided for the Medicines Control Agency by the pharmaceutical companies in the current year; and if he will make a statement. [9652]
§ Mr. MaloneApart from interest earned on bank balances and minor receipts for miscellaneous services, the Medicines Control Agency's income receipts for 1996–97 are currently estimated to total about £25 million, all of which will comprise fees from pharmaceutical companies.