§ Mr. HurstTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the cost to the National Health Service of the purchase of drugs within the area of the North Essex Health Authority for each year since 1995. [109437]
§ Ms StuartThe information available is in the table.
1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 NHS Trust expenditure 10,589,000 12,514,000 14,491,000 Prescription pricing authority (PPA)1 65,340,000 70,898,000 75,354,000 Total 75,929,000 83,412,000 89,845,000 1estimates Notes:
1. The figures for 1995–96 are not on a comparable basis, as although there was a North Essex District Health Authority, the Family Health Services Authority covered the whole of Essex.
2. Trust expenditure on drugs and gases is from the Trust Financial Returns for the eight National Health Service Trusts where North Essex Health Authority is the major commissioner. This is not audited information and will include some expenditure incurred for other commissioners.
3. An estimate of drugs expenditure is available by individual health authority from the Prescription Pricing Authority's EPACT system. The national estimated total expenditure for all health authorities supplied by the Prescription Pricing Authority does not equal the total included in their audited accounts of health authorities.