Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to the National Health Service of involvement in drug sales promotion.
Mr. John PattenIn 1981, the most recent year for which final figures are available, the returns from the pharmaceutical industry show that £130 million was spent on the promotion of its sales of medicines to the NHS. £106 million of this was allowed as an expense in assessing the price of NHS medicines.