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SAVE
OUR LOCAL CHEMISTS
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Report on retail
pharmacy services in the UK threatens the continued viability of thousands
of independent pharmacies. If this leads to a change in UK law then
pensioners, the elderly and those requiring regular medication from local
chemists, will suffer. This will have a serious impact on East Anglia,
especially rural Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
The report is likely to result in legislation
allowing supermarkets to open in-house pharmacies competing directly and
unfairly with independent chemists. At present, supermarket pharmacies are
permitted wherever there is a genuine need and where they do not threaten
independent chemists rendering a valuable service to the local community.
Further deregulation of the £8.6bn dispensing
market will be devastating for those chemists already suffering from
increased competition with toiletries, cosmetics and over-the-counter
medicines sold by supermarkets. If their prescription trade is threatened by
an unlimited number of in-house supermarket pharmacies, they will simply go
out of business.
Our pensioners need regular medication and rely on
the local independent chemist they know and trust for medical advice. The
impact of closure of these chemists will severely disadvantage and
inconvenience these pensioners, pregnant mums and the chronically sick. It
could result in less mobile older people being forced to collect their
prescriptions from supermarkets, which may not be found locally.
The British regulation on ownership and location of
pharmacies is already significantly more liberal
than in most EU Member States.
In Finland and Sweden, all pharmacies are state owned, while in Spain and
Germany, only pharmacists are permitted to own and manage retail chemist
shops.
Despite the drive to achieve
an open, competitive, free single market, there is no pressure from the EU
on the UK to change its current legislation and disrupt our system of retail
sale of medicines which will create problems for our pensioners and the
chronically sick.
We must not allow the Labour
Government to close down our rural pharmacies and further diminish the
quality of services and life in rural East Anglia.
THE
UK AND THE EURO
The Institute for Citizenship
organised a major debate “Should the UK adopt the Euro?” for over 200
school children aged 14-18. It was Chaired by David Dimbleby and I was on
the panel with Commissioner Neil Kinnock, Nick Clegg (Liberal MEP), Caroline
Lucas (Green MEP), the Chairman for Business in Sterling and the Chairman of
Britain in Europe.
I said:-
“Current assessment of the
UK economy and the Five Economic Tests set by the Treasury, suggests that we
should NOT join the Euro now. I give the following reasons:"
Convergence
Despite our higher interest
rate, the UK economic growth rate is higher than the Eurozone. The UK has
and maintains a lower rate of inflation.
The
£/€ exchange rate has
also fluctuated by almost 30% - far more than the band of 2.5% required to
join the Euro.
Flexibility
UK
unemployment is about half the EU average, despite higher interest rates and
higher take home pay because it has a flexible labour market.
Investment
The
UK attracts substantial foreign inward investment because it offers a pool
of skilled labour with lower non-wage costs of employment.
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The USA, Canada and Mexico in the North American
Free Trade Area (NAFTA) have achieved free trade across their borders
whilst retaining their national currencies and political sovereignty.
Therefore,
the UK can have free trade without adopting the Euro.
Financial
Services & the City
The
City of London has more Euro deposits and Euro transactions than any other
capital of the EU and so we have not lost out by not adopting the Euro as
our currency.
Employment
and Growth
The
Eurozone countries e.g. France, Germany & Italy have breached EU
maximum limits for the Growth & Stability Pact. Despite lower interest
rates and greater public expenditure their economies are stagnating.
Whilst the benefits of euro membership for Britain
are fairly limited and unknown, the costs could be quite considerable. At
the moment, our economy is out-stripping that of the eurozone. If at any
time in the future economic conditions require the UK to reconsider its
position, then we must reassess the arguments.
At
the end of the debate, the audience was asked the question "If there
was a referendum, would you vote to join the euro?". The result of
the vote was 59% against and 39% in favour (2% spoiled ballot papers).
DOLPHIN
FREE GUARANTEE
A new tracking and verification system for tuna
fishermen will ensure correct labelling so that consumers who are anxious
about the conservation of dolphins will not need to worry about enjoying a
grilled tuna steak or a tuna sandwich.
The European Parliament approved legislation that will
prevent rogue traders labelling tuna caught by fishermen without
appropriate precaution to safeguard dolphins. This legislation will
minimise dolphin loss in tuna fishing – an initiative that will be most
welcome by all environmentalists and nature lovers in East Anglia.
Please email us at: bkhanbhai@europarl.eu.int
and register to receive my “In Touch” and other news.
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