HC Deb 24 January 2000 vol 343 c105W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for further action to restrain the use of anonymised data extracted from prescription forms; and if he will make a statement on the ownership of the data contained in prescription forms. [106061]

Ms Stuart

There has recently been a judgment in the Court of Appeal dealing with the use that can be made of anonymised data extracted from prescription forms. I have arranged for a Petition for leave to appeal to be lodged at the judicial office of the House of Lords. We shall also continue to consider the complex legal issues raised by the judgment, and, in particular, the implications for the use of data on prescription forms.