Health Bill

That was a helpful reply from the Minister to what I had intended as a probing amendment. I certainly did not realise that the word ““reasonably”” would excite his disapprobation. I innocently thought that courts were familiar with the concept and that it would not prove a problem. Nevertheless, the amendment has worked in that we have heard some very helpful comments from the Minister. I agreed wholeheartedly with something that the noble Baroness, Lady Murphy, emphasised. It is not just patient safety that should underlie our thinking; we should bear in mind that, with every year that goes by, the Government expect pharmacists to do more and more for their customers and patients. I am very much in favour of this extended role for pharmacists and the expansion in the services that they offer. It necessitates one thing, if nothing else—face-to-face contact with patients and the ability to give them authoritative, professional advice, perhaps in private. We cannot expect pharmacists to do this if they are not around and we must be careful that the regulations do not encourage that. Nevertheless, I am grateful to the Minister for his explanation. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.