HC Deb 04 June 1981 vol 5 cc404-5W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take urgent action to prevent a cutback in prescriptions dispensed because of cash flow problems experienced by repayments to dispensing chemists as a result of delays in value added tax payments.

D. Vaughan

Assistance is already being given by the Department to those chemists who normally receive a net value added tax refund. This is being done by increasing the normal 80 per cent. advance monthly payment made to chemists pending full pricing of their prescriptions. Currently the 80 per cent. advance has been increased where necessary to a limit of 110 per cent.