§ Sir John HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what would be the cost of exempting all recipients of disability working allowance from the payment of prescription charges;
(2) how many recipients of disability working allowance qualify for free prescriptions on the ground of low income in the most recent 12-month period available;
505W(3) what is her response to recommendation 16 of the third report of the Social Security Select Committee (HC, 1992–93, No. 284-I) that disability working allowance recipients should be entitled to free prescriptions in the same way that family credit recipients are.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe health benefits unit does not keep a record of the social security benefits received by people who claim help from the national health service low income scheme. The estimated current annual cost of extending automatic help with national health service costs, to recipients of the allowance and their dependants, on the same basis as it is available to those receiving income support or family credit, would be around £0.75 million. The Government will respond in due course to the third report of the Social Security Select Committee (HC 1992–93, No. 284-I).