§ LORD VERNONasked Her Majesty's Government:
What would have been the additional cost to the Exchequer for the last financial year if all family planning advice and treatment had been provided free.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)I am afraid the Government have at present insufficient information on which to base an estimate of the cost of advice and treatment outside the National Health Service. Within the Health Service advice is already free; and so is treatment on medical grounds, apart from the normal prescription charges; and local health authorities should have regard to people's means in making charges in non-medical cases. Charges paid by patients in 1970– 71 under the National Health Service (including the local health authority service) amounted to about £ 420,000.