§ Lord Walton of Detchantasked her Majesty's Government:
How much income was raised in the United Kingdom from prescription charges in the latest year for which figures are available and what proportion of items prescribed by GPs were exempt from charges; and whether they will estimate how much extra income would be raised in the United Kingdom if charges had to be paid by people over retirement age who were not otherwise exempt and what proportion of items prescribed by GPs would then be likely to be exempt from charges.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)Figures for the number of pensioners who would qualify for free prescriptions if the blanket exemption from charges was removed are not available. The available information is in the table.
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TABLE United Kingdom Income from prescription charges in 1991/92 and proportion of prescribed items dispensed free of charge Prescription Charge Income £260 million1 Proportion of prescribed items dispensed free of charge2 80 per cent.3 1 Income from charges collected by community pharmacists, dispensing doctors and appliance contractors; sales of prescription pre-payment certificates and recovery of unpaid charges by Family Health Service Authorities* minus refunds of prescription charges and prescription pre-payment certificates made by Family Health Service Authorities*. * Health Boards in Scotland; Central Services Agency in Northern Ireland. 2 By community pharmacists and appliance contractors. 3 Estimate derived from data for the 1991 calendar year for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; 1991/92 financial year for Scotland.