§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much National Health Service prescription charges would have had to be increased in order to take account of inflation for each of the years 1970 to 1980; and what the actual prescription charges were in each of these years.
§ Sir George YoungThe figures below are based on June 1968, when prescription charges were reintroduced at 12.5p per item, and take account of the retail price index at June of each year.
Year Charges increased in line with inflation (p) Actual charge (p) 1970 13.9 12.5 1971 15.4 *20.0 1972 16.3 20.0 1973 17.8 20.0 1974 20.8 20.0 1975 26.2 20.0 1976 29.8 20.0 1977 35.1 20.0 1978 37.7 20.0 1979 42.0 †45.0 1980 50.8 ‡70.0 §100.0 * (from 1 April 1971) † (from 16 April 1979) ‡ (from 1 April 1980) § (from 1 December 1980)