asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he plans to introduce restrictions on promotional spending by pharmaceutical companies from 1st April.

Yes. I announced last July that reductions in the amount of sales promotion expenditure accepted as a cost under the Voluntary Price Regulation Scheme would take effect on 1st April. Consultations on the proposal to exempt from the reduction and to accept in full the cost of advertising in learned and professional journals are nearly complete and I hope to announce a decision very soon.