§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Service what extra revenue would be raised by raising prescription charges to their real levels in 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1973–74.
§ Dr. OwenThe main prescription charge was 12½ in 1970–71 and 20p in 1971–72 and subsequent years. The annual extra revenue which would be raised in England by increasing the charge to the equivalent levels in real terms, based on the change in the general index of retail prices since September in each of the four years, is estimated to be about £8 million, £23 million, £20 million and £15½ million respectively. These estimates assume that the number of chargeable prescriptions would remain the same.