§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of prescriptions for each of the three most recent years for which figures are available for all drugs.
§ Mr. MoyleI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 26th May.—[Vol. 950, c.799.]
§ Mr. Mageeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the total number of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs for each of the three most recent years for which figures are available;
(2) what is the total number of prescriptions for tranquillisers for each of the last three years for which figures are available.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of prescriptions for anti-depressants for each of the three most recent years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. MoyleThe latest available information about the numbers of prescriptions dispensed for drugs in the above categories is as follows:
1975 1976 Psychotropic drugs … 45,635,000 45,595,000 Sedatives and Tranquillisers … 20,868,000 21,190,000 Anti-depressants and anti-depressant and sedative/tranquilliser combinations … 8,480,000 8,496,000 Psychotropic drugs include sedatives, tranquillisers, hypnotics, CNS stimulants, and anti-depressants, either alone or in 448W combination. Accordingly, the second and third figures in each column are included within the first figure. A revised system of analysing drugs statistically was introduced in 1975 so as both to reflect current pharmacological knowledge and also to enable a common system of classification to be used for both hospital and general practice prescriptions. Figures under the old classification for 1974 and 1975 have been published in the 1975 and 1976 editions respectively of Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs (a) to children aged under 16 years and (b) to females aged over 16 years for each of the three most recent years for which figures are available.