§ Mr. A. Lewisasked the Minister of Health what has been the percentage rise or fall in all hospital charges and prescription charges from October, 1951, to date; and what has been the percentage increase in prices, as against quantities used, of the drugs used in the National Health Service over the same period and on the same basis of calculation.
8W
§ Mr. BarberSince their introduction, prescription charges, including those payable by hospital out-patients, have been increased by about 250 per cent. Charges for elastic hosiery and for appliances supplied through hospitals have remained generally unchanged though the charges for certain dentures and glasses; supplied by hospitals have increased by amounts varying from 10 per cent. to 100 per cent. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available in the exact form requested, but the net ingredient cost per prescription dispensed has increased over the same period by over 200 per cent.