§ 46 and 47. Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many persons, other than those receiving supplementary benefit, were exempted from prescription charges on grounds of hardship in each month since the re-introduction of the charges; and what was the total number of persons so exempted in the whole of that period;
§ (2) how many applications have been made since the reintroduction of prescription charges for exemption on the grounds of hardship; and what percentage of these was granted.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe number of applications for exemption, or refunds, on grounds of hardship was nearly 49,000 up to 21st January, 1969; of these about 32,000 were successful. With permission, I will arrange for the monthly totals of exemption certificates issued to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. LeadbitterIs my hon. Friend not concerned about those figures in the light of a previous Answer from his Department that in the five months following the introduction of charges stating there were 18,000 fewer prescriptions than in a similar period before the introduction of the charges? Are they not running at the rate of 40 million a year? Will he give an assurance that now there is sufficient information for a review of the whole scheme?
§ Mr. EnnalsNo, I cannot give any such assurance. One cannot reach a conclusion on the effect of the recent fall in the number of prescriptions. It of course depends on weather and other circumstances, but it is too early at present to estimate.
§ Mr. John LeeDoes not this exercise show how unsatisfactory the system of prescription charges is? How many man-hours are occupied by people evaluating these schemes?
§ Mr. EnnalsI do not agree with my hon. Friend's conclusions. About 50 per cent. of those who require prescriptions are either exempted or make successful claims. I do not at all agree with my hon. Friend's conclusions.
§ Following are the figures:
§ The number of exemption certificates issued monthly (up to the penultimate Tuesday of each month) since June 1968 is as follows:
| 1968 | June (1½ weeks) | … | 2,000 |
| July | … | 6,900 | |
| August | … | 2,700 | |
| September | … | 2,100 | |
| October | … | 3,600 | |
| November | … | 3,100 | |
| December | … | 2,300 | |
| 1969 | January | … | 2,700 |
| Total | … | 25,400 |
§ In about 6,000 cases the charge paid was refunded but an exemption certificate was not issued.