§ Mr. EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of NHS prescriptions issued are exempt from any charge to the patient; [34750]
(2) what has been the income from prescription charges in each year since 1979; [34749]
(3) what would have been the annual increase in prescription charges each year since 1979 if they had been increased in line with inflation; what the proposed increase for the current year on that basis would be; and what the proposed new charge would be. [34748]
§ Mr. MilburnThe annual income from prescription charges, and the charge if it had been increased in line with inflation in each year from 1979 is in the table. In 1996–97, 86 per cent. of prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors' in England were free of charge.
705W
Financial year Total income from prescription charges (£ million) Prescription charge if increased in line with inflation2 0.20 1979–80 38.646 0.23 1980–81 70.753 0.27 1981–82 86.620 0.30 1982–83 102.792 0.32 1983–84 110.044 0.33 1984–85 120.748 0.35 1985–86 127.756 0.37 1986–87 147.884 0.38 1987–88 157.540 0.40 1988–89 176.928 0.43 1989–90 189.342 0.46 1990–91 205.892 0.50 1991–92 215.215 0.53
Financial year Total income from Prescription charge prescription charges (£ million) Prescription charge if increased in line with inflation2 1992–93 242.041 0.55 1993–94 265.279 0.57 1994–95 287.155 0.58 1995–96 298.746 0.60 1996–97 295.680 0.62 1997–98 0.64 1998–99 0.66 1 The analysis is based on a 1 in 20 sample of all prescriptions submitted to the Prescription Pricing Authority by community pharmacists and appliance contractors. Items dispensed by dispensing doctors and personal administration prescriptions are not included in the sample. (Dispensing doctor prescriptions are not analysed into exempt, non exempt, or other categories; personally administered items are free of charge). Items dispensed to holders of prepayment certificates are not counted as free in this calculation. 2GDP deflators have been used.