§ Colonel Beamishasked the Minister of Health the approximate annual value at actual and constant prices of the ingredients dispensed in each of the last ten years under the National Health Service at retail prices and at manufacturer's prices; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the total drug bill and as a percentage of the total annual cost of the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe approximate annual cost—at drug tariff rates—of the ingredients dispensed under the National Health Service by chemist contractors in England and Wales in each of the
EXPENDITURE ON PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED UNDER THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ENGLAND AND WALES Year (1) Cost of ingredients (2) Total cost of prescriptions (3) Col. (1) as percentage of Col. (2) (4) Total cost of N.H.S. (5) Col. (1) as percentage of Col. (4) £ mill. £ mill. £ mill. 1949–50 … … … 14.0 30.3 46.3 403 3.5 1950–51 … … … 17.7 33.5 52.8 413 4.3 1951–52 … … … 23.0 43.9 52.3 434 5.3 1952–53 … … … 26.1 46.0 56.9 486 5.4 1953–54 … … … 25.5 44.5 57.2 473 5.4 1954–55 … … … 27.5 45.8 60.0 495 5.6 1955–56 … … … 29.4 49.7 59.2 535 5.5 1956–57 … … … 33.4 58.6 57.0 585 5.7 1957–58 … … … 38.1 62.1 61.4 626 6.1 1958–59 (estimated) … … 41.8 66.5 62.8 675 6.2 Note.—The figures in Col. (1) include the cost of appliances which is estimated to vary between 6 per cent. and 8 per cent. of the yearly totals.