§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the amount of money that could be saved if the amount prescribed in 50 per cent. of those prescriptions which are included in the 25 per cent. most expensive prescriptions were reduced by 20 per cent.
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§ Sir George YoungThe saving, based on data for 1978 for England, would be approximately £32.5 million on net ingredient cost. This calculation is based on estimated figures from a sample of approximately 1 in 200 prescriptions dispensed by retail pharmacists and appliance contractors.
For the purpose of the calculation, the 25 per cent., most expensive prescriptions have been taken as those with the highest cost per individual prescription, though this group includes many preparations for which few prescriptions are issued and a number of drugs and appliances which are commonly prescribed singly or in very small quantities.