§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the amount of revenue that would be raised if NHS patients were required to pay a 25 pence consultation fee for each visit to the doctor.
§ Mr. MoyleIt is estimated that the average number of surgery visits is of the order of two-and-three-quarters per patient per year. On this basis, the additional gross revenue might be some £30 to £35 million a year in England. But the net revenue, after allowing for such factors as exemptions on income or other grounds, additional administrative costs, and any fall in the number of visits which might follow the introduction of such a charge, would be much less.