§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the gross cost of drugs to the NHS in actual and percentage terms for the last year for which information is available; and what is the estimated expenditure in the current year. [43031]
§ Mr. MilburnIn 1996/97 total expenditure on drugs was £4.7 billion accounting for 14 per cent. of total National Health Service expenditure.
Final outtum figures for 1997/98 and forecasts for the current year are not yet available.