HL Deb 29 June 1981 vol 422 cc6-7

2.52 p.m.

Lord Molloy

My 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 whether they will consider the abolition of prescription charges for the unemployed.

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, the case for exempting from payment of prescription charges all those who are unemployed is not a strong one. Not everyone who is unemployed, for example those receiving short-term unemployment benefit, require assistance with the cost of prescriptions. Of the others many already qualify for exemption under the existing arrangements. For instance, 42 per cent. of those registered unemployed receive supplementary benefit and, as a consequence, are automatically exempt from charges.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Is he aware that the British Pharmaceutical Society support this proposal, and that it is agonising enough to be on the dole without having to go through certain agonising bureaucratic methods to get a little more money to make ends meet? Will he not be prepared to take this back and reconsider his reply for the sake of the many millions who are on the dole as the result of his Government's appalling economic policies?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, the noble Lord seems to be going rather wide of the original Question. I do not think that I should reply on the whole economic policy of the Government. I would say, in considering exemptions from prescription charges, that there are many other groups represented by other people who come forward, such as invalidity pensioners, and also groups who are not included in the specified medical conditions which are also part of the exemptions. There is no actual evidence that those unemployed require more assistance in this matter and probably noble Lords will agree that those who already have other medical conditions would have a higher priority.

Lord Wallace of Coslany

My Lords, will the noble Lord reconsider the Question put by my noble friend? If my noble friend had inserted the word "long-term" then maybe the Government would do something about it.

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, that is possible, but I am in no position to answer that.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, while it is true that old-age pensioners and some of the unemployed benefit, are not a very large number of the unemployed still left without the right to free prescriptions? Does this not apply to part-time workers and does this not apply to the thousands who are now receiving less than a living wage, as was indicated in a recent report of the commission?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, I am sure the noble Lord is aware that all those on supplementary benefit and family income supplement get exemption from prescription charges. Furthermore, there are many who are somewhat above the supplementary benefit level who are entitled to apply for exemption on the basis of low income.

Lord Molloy

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I am asking for this concession for those of our fellow countrymen and countrywomen who are out of work, on the dole and, perhaps, stricken with disease or illness or accident? I am asking that this nation hold out a helping hand in their time of need. Would he not be prepared, even now, to reconsider his reply and give a helping hand to those who have no work but wish to work and who, in addition to being unemployed, are stricken with illness, disease or accident? Can he not give a more humanitarian reply and concentrate on the word "consider" in the Question, so that this proposal is at least considered?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, this sort of situation is considered all the time in respect of the unemployed, but other groups are also represented.