§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why compulsory contributors to the National Health Service who save public expense by paying for private consultations are thereby debarred from receiving medicines and drugs upon National Health Service terms.]
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, under Section 38 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, provision is made for the supply of medicines only to persons receiving general medical services under the Act, and new legislation would, therefore, be required to enable private patients to be supplied on the same terms. As the Minister of Health has said in another place, Her Majesty's Government attach importance to the preservation of private practice, and the right of patients to resort thereto, and would certainly consider making medicines available to private patients on National Health Service terms, in the context of available resources and competing claims, if it were shown that the present position was endangering the existence of private practice or preventing any substantial number of people from availing themselves of it who would otherwise wish to do so. But Her Majesty's Government have no present plans for legislation on this subject.
In view of the terms of the noble Lord's Question I would add that, as Exchequer expenditure on the remuneration of general practitioners is based not on the number of patients, but on the 156 number of practitioners in the Service, there is no automatic saving if patients obtain their medical treatment privately.
§ LORD AIREDALEMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Viscount for his reply.