David Norris (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. There is a clear conflict of evidence between what the Minister of State and I, as advised, put on the record regarding the sums involved in this jurisdiction and in Great Britain. With regard to PricewaterhouseCoopers, it did not exactly help us when we were tumbling into the financial abyss. It is a classic practice to commission reports all over the place. Why would PricewaterhouseCoopers object? It will be paid. However, I am not sure about the validity of the report in question. Will the Minister of State ask the Minister for Health and Children to accept my request, made on behalf of a considerable number of pharmacists, to postpone the deadline of 22 December? It is practically Christmas Eve. It is inhuman and stupid; it is a classic example of idiotic bureaucracy. Will she postpone the date for three months to allow for reconsideration and an examination of what I describe, with a view to removing the awful burden imposed on pharmacists at Christmas? Will the Minister of State pass on this message? I do not want him to seek a commitment to reconsider the deadline but to ensure that it will be postponed.