§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what evaluation he has made of barbiturate and bensodiasepine prescriptions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe information will take some time to collect, but I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to extend to people in receipt of an invalidity pension the automatic right to free prescriptions;
(2) what is his estimate of the cost of extending to people in receipt of invalidity pension the automatic right to free prescriptions.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe estimated cost of extending automatic exemption from prescription charges to recipients of invalidity benefit would be about £1 477W million. I have no plans at present to extend automatic exemption to this group. Not all recipients of invalidity benefit need frequent prescriptions and, of those who do, many already get free prescriptions under an existing exemption category.