§ Dame Patricia Hornsby-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what level of price a National Health Service prescription costs less when purchased over the counter than when charged to the National Health Service.
§ Sir K. JosephItems costing less than the 20p prescription charge and available without prescription may be purchased over the counter; but it is for the doctor to prescribe the drug he considers necessary for the treatment of his patient, and chemists have been recommended by their representative organisation not to discuss with a patient the price and by implication the nature of a drug486W circumstances additions made in supplementary benefit cases where there are special heating needs and where these needs are not already met by the longterm addition of 50p. In 1968 (the first year for which the information requested is available) 143,000 supplementary benefit recipients received an exceptional circumstances addition which included provision for heating. Of these 118,000 were supplementary pensioners. In the years 1969, 1970 and 1971 the figures were respectively 151,000 and 126,000; 196,000 and 166,000; 194,000 and 159,000. Figures for the average weekly addition are available for the years 1970 and 1971 only; they are 22p and 33p respectively.
I regret that information on total expenditure is not available.