§ Angela WatkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the income from those NHS prescriptions which are paid for and (b) the cost of administering free NHS prescriptions during the last year for which figures are available. [52590]
§ Ms BlearsIncome from prescription charges in 2000–01 in respect of prescriptions written by general practitioners and dispensed in the community in England, was £389 million. Income from charges collected by national health service trusts is not separately identifiable.
These costs are not identified separately within the administrative costs of the Department and NHS bodies in England.