HC Deb 17 January 1984 vol 52 c207W
Mr. Michael Forsyth

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are employed in the prescription pricing division of the Common Services Agency; how many prescriptions the division processes per month; and what is the total annual cost of the division, broken down into (a) salaries and associated expenses, (b) travel and subsistence, (c) general administrative expenses and (d) training.

Mr. John MacKay

Three hundred and twenty four persons are employed in the prescription pricing division in Scotland, to price, on average, 3 million prescription items each month.

The total annual cost of the division in 1982–83 was £1.8 million comprising:

£ million
Salaries and associated expenses (including £3,000 for travel and subsistence) 1.29
General administrative expenses 0.22
Training (including salaries of both training staff and trainees) 0.29

1978–79

£

1979–80

£

1980–81

£

1981–82

£

1982–83

£

Highlands and Islands veterinary services scheme 65,000 88,190 143,156 122,973 140,850
Crofters etc. building grants and loans scheme 1,080,040 1,769,927 1,653,081 2,007,123 1,872,149
Crofting counties agricultural grants scheme 763,572 857,336 1,361,128 1,597,821 2,201,823

In addition under the integrated development programme for the Western Isles £335,765 was spent in 1982–83 on agricultural land and livestock improvement schemes, mostly in payments to crofters.