§ 23. Mr. Astorasked the Minister of Health what information he has concerning the abuse of medical prescriptions under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. BevanThere are a number of individual cases. Disciplinary procedure is there to deal with them and I want it firmly and promptly used. But I am not aware of any general abuse.
§ 64. Mr. Gammansasked the Minister of Health on what date pricing of prescriptions dispensed in July under the National Health Service was completed.
§ 65. Mr. Gammansasked the Minister of Health why Regulation 506, 1948, which provides for full pricing of all prescriptions is not being complied with; and whether he will make a statement on the method now being adopted to price prescriptions being dispensed under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. BevanThe present arrangements, which have been agreed with representatives of the profession, were made under paragraph 9 of Part I of the Fourth Schedule to the Regulations. They provide for a chemist to be paid in full for prescriptions the net ingredient cost of which is 5s. or more, and for other prescriptions on the basis of his own average payment per prescription during a previous month, adjusted for any general trends.