HC Deb 18 December 1956 vol 562 c145W
Major Beamish

asked the Minister of Health the average cost of a National Health Service prescription for each year beginning with the first complete year of the service, giving actual costs alongside the values of these when recalculated

Calendar year Average cost per prescription (pence to nearest ½d.) Column (2) expressed as an index 1949 = 100 Index of Retail Prices 1949 = 100 Column (2) Recalculated with reference to (4) (pence to nearest ½d.) Column (5) expressed as an index 1949 = 100
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
1949 … 36 100 100 36 100
1950 … 38.5 107 103 37.5 104
1951 … 44 122 112 39.5 110
1952 … 48.5 135 123 39.5 110
1953 … 49 136 127 38. 5 107
1954 … 50. 5 140 129 39 108
1955 … 53. 5 149 135 39.5 110
1956 (estimated) … 59.5 165 141* 42 117
* Average for first eleven months only.
Notes:
(1) Column (2) includes, for 1955 and 1956, increases in chemists' remuneration recently agreed for those years.
(2) Column (2) reflects changes in the volume and type of drugs as well as price changes.