Oral Answers to Questions — Social Services – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 4 Rhagfyr 1973.
Mr Harry Ewing
, Stirling and Falkirk Burghs
12:00,
4 Rhagfyr 1973
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for drug companies to include on the label of proprietary medicines and tablets a warning if the product is likely to affect the ability to drive.
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
The Poisons Rules already require medicines containing certain antihistamines commonly used in travel sickness remedies to be labelled
Caution. This may cause drowsiness. If affected, do not drive or operate machinery".
In the case of a prescribed medicine that may impair ability to drive, it is the doctor's responsibility to warn his patient of the danger.
Mr Harry Ewing
, Stirling and Falkirk Burghs
Will the Secretary of State keep a much more open mind on this subject than he has done hitherto? I do not say that in a derogatory sense. However, clear evidence is now emerging that more and more drivers are being convicted after having taken drugs which they were unaware would affect them when driving. The motoring organisations are very concerned about this development.
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
The Government are advised by experts on the Medicines Commission. A committee is at present considering the scope of the warnings prescribed by the Poisons Rules. If the hon. Gentleman sends me any evidence of which he is aware, I will put it to the committee.
Mr William Molloy
, Ealing North
Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to consider the resolution passed at the Council of Europe on this subject to see whether he should support it when it goes to the Council of Ministers?
Sir Keith Joseph
, Leeds North East
I shall certainly look at it.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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Founded on 5 May, 1949 by the Treaty of London, and currently seated in Strasbourg, membership is open to all European states which accept the princple of the rule of law and guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms to their citizens. In 1950, this body created the European Convention on Human Rights, which laid out the foundation principles and basis on which the European Court of Human Rights stands.
Today, its primary activities include charters on a range of human rights, legal affairs, social cohesion policies, and focused working groups and charters on violence, democracy, and a range of other areas.
An informal reference to the Council of the European Union.
