asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total number of independent pharmacies in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.
The number of registered pharmacies in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years has been as follows:
| Year | Registered Pharmacies | |||
| 1967 | … | … | … | 14,293 |
| 1968 | … | … | … | 13,990 |
| 1969 | … | … | … | 13,510 |
| 1970 | … | … | … | 13,137 |
| 1971 | … | … | … | 12,852 |
| 1972 | … | … | … | 12,542 |
| 1973 | … | … | … | 12,266 |
| 1974 | … | … | … | 12,042 |
| 1975 | … | … | … | 11,733 |
| 1976 | … | … | … | 11,507 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the percentage number of closure of pharmacies in 1975 and 1976; and, in view of the nature of the service rendered by pharmacies, what proposals he has to arrest the decline.
The number of pharmacies in Great Britain on the register of the Pharmaceutical Society declined by 2·5 per cent. in 1975 and 1·9 per cent. in 1976. This will be one of the matters that my right hon. Friend will be discussing with representatives of the Pharmaceutical Services Nogotiating Committee when he sees them on 16th June.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement concerning the current levels of NHS remuneration paid to chemist contractors for the provision of the NHS Pharmaceutical Service to the general public.
The current levels of remuneration are intended to meet the labour and all other costs of chemist contractors including a notional salary for the working proprietor, and to provide a profit margin of 16 per cent. on capital employed. My right hon. Friend will be discussing this matter with representatives of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on 16th June.