§ Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the gross profit paid to pharmacy contractors in England for National Health Service dispensing in each of the past five years.
§ Dr. VaughanThe estimated gross profit paid to chemist contractors in England for National Health 227W Service dispensing in each of the past five years is given in the following table. Gross profit has been defined as the difference between total payments and the cost of drugs, appliances, containers, oxygen and oxygen equipment rental:
£ million 1976 109.4 1977 119.8 1978 135.8 1979 144.2 1980 190.0