HC Deb 15 March 1999 vol 327 cc556-7W
Mr. Gill

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the names of the members of the Medicines Control Agency together with a list of their financial interests and research funding. [75726]

Ms Jowell

The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is a Departmental agency and is accountable direct to Ministers. The staff of the agency are civil servants and are subject to all the normal civil service employment rules, including those covering financial and research interests. The names of senior MCA management and scientific staff can be found on the agency's Website.

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the membership of the Medicines Control Agency, indicating for each member their(a) terms of employment, (b) consultancies, (c) research funding and (d) shareholdings in pharmaceutical companies. [75950]

Ms Jowell

[holding answer 11 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill).

Mr. Tyler

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Medicines Control Agency to extend its remit to cover(a) health products and (b) nutritional supplements; and if he will make a statement. [75951]

Ms Jowell

[holding answer 11 March 1999]: We have no plans to extend the remit of the Medicines Control Agency.

Mr. Letwin

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to expand the remit of the Medicines Control Agency to enable it to ban vitamin and other supplements to diet; and if he will make a statement on the composition and background of the members of the Medicines Control Agency. [76760]

Mr. Hutton

We have no plans to extend the remit of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) or to ban vitamins and other dietary supplements. The MCA is an agency of the Department and is accountable direct to Ministers. The staff of the agency are civil servants and are subject to all the normal civil service employment rules, including those covering financial and research interests. The names of senior MCA management and scientific staff can be found on the agency's Website.