§ 20. Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to extend the exemption list for National Health Service prescription charges.
§ Dr. VaughanAs my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced today, we are correcting the situation which exists at the moment whereby a woman who gives birth to a stillborn child is not entitled to exemption. From 1 January 1982 such a woman will be entitled to exemption from prescription charges in the same way as a woman who gives birth to a live child. Apart from this small adjustment, we have no plans to alter the already wide-ranging exemption arrangements. At present these arrangements permit 68 per cent. of all prescription items to be dispensed free-of-charge, while a further 6 per cent. are dispensed to holders of "season tickets".