Community Pharmacy in 2016-17 and Beyond Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Kevin Barron
Main Page: Kevin Barron (Labour - Rother Valley)Department Debates - View all Kevin Barron's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
Community Pharmacy in 2016-17 and Beyond
Kevin Barron ExcerptsThursday 20th October 2016
(8 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Housing Standards (Preparation and Storage of Food by Tenants in Receipt of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit) Bill 2016-17 Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
David Mowat
I will not say much more because of time constraints, but I thank my right hon. Friend for his comments. He is right to remind the House that this sector is quite concentrated towards public companies. That is not to say there are not some individual pharmacists that will be affected, but about 25% of pharmacies are owned by two or three public companies.
Kevin Barron (Rother Valley) (Lab)
I should declare my interest as chairman of the all-party group on pharmacy. I do not want to speculate about closures, as that has been done already, but if we get to a point where it might make sense for pharmacies to merge in different communities, my understanding is that the regulations are not yet in place for that. Is that true, and, if that is needed, when will it happen?