§ Mr. TruswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to consider the addition of(a) asthma and (b) other chronic conditions to the list of those whose sufferers are exempt from NHS prescription payments. [26346]
§ Mr. MilburnAll aspects of prescription charges are being examined as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review which will report in the summer. The Review in the Department of Health is being undertaken in the context of our manifesto commitment
if you are ill or injured there will be a national health service there to help; and access to it will be based on need and need alone—not on your ability to pay, or on who your general practitioner happens to be or on where you live".