§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what were the numbers of prescriptions issued in the United Kingdom in 1978 and 1979 for the following categories: antacids and antispasmodics, tonics and gastro-intestinal sedatives, preparations acting on the heart, diuretics, anti-hypertensives, vasco-dilators and vasco-constrictors, expectorants and cough suppressants, asthma, sedatives and tranquilisers, anti-depressants, hypnotics (barbiturate), hypnotics (non-barbiturate), CNS stimulants and appetite suppressants, anti-convulsants and anti-parkinsonism, local anaesthetics and counter-irritants, penicillins, tetro-cyclines, sulphanomides, other antibiotics, other anti-infectives, oral contraceptives, insulin (including hypoglycaemic agents), vitamin preparations, eye preparations, rheumatic preparations and dressings and appliances;
(2) what was the distribution of prescriptions by the following therapeutic classes in the United Kingdom in 1979: preparations acting on the nervous system, preparations acting on the cardiovascular-system and diuretics, preparations acting systematically on infections, preparations acting on the respiratory system, preparations acting locally on the skin and mucous membranes, preparations 631W acting on the gastro-intestinal system, preparations with hormones or anti-hormone activity, preparations for rheumatism and all others.
§ Sir George YoungThe figures requested, under their current therapeutic classifications, which relate to the prescriptions dispensed in 1977 and 1978, the latest years available, are contained in separate tables for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As these tables are lengthy I am sending my hon. Friend a copy and am placing a copy in the Library.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many prescriptions were issued in England and Wales for the following categories in 1979: tranquillisers, non barbiturate hypnotics and antidepressants.
§ Sir George YoungPrescriptions have not been analysed under the therapeutic classes specified in the question since 1975, but the figures for revised classes which are broadly comparable are shown below for 1978, the latest year available:
Therapeutic class Number of prescriptions (million) Hypnotics 15.41 Sedatives and tranquillisers 22.66 Anti-depressants 7.19 Anti-depressant and sedative/tranquilliser combinations 1.49