§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in the five months ended April 1981, dispensing doctors have collected approximately 4 per cent. fewer prescription charges in respect of prescriptions dispensed than pharmacist contractors; whether he will estimate the loss to Exchequer revenue in each of these months and for the year ending 30 November 1981; and whether he will take steps to recover this revenue and ensure the receipt of correct remittances in the future.
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§ Dr. VaughanIt may well be that the difference in the amount of prescription charges remitted to family practitioner committees by dispensing doctors and that collected by chemist contractors over a particular period is approximately 4 per cent. The demography of the areas served by dispensing doctors can, however, be very different from those served by High Street chemist contractors. We have no reason to believe that there has been any loss of revenue or that the amounts remitted by dispensing doctors are not strictly in accordance with the requirements of the regulations.
About 68 per cent. of all prescriptions are currently dispensed free of charge under the wide exemption arrangements while a further 6 per cent. are dispersed under the "season ticket" arrangements.