HL Deb 28 March 1984 vol 450 cc331-2WA
Lord Underhill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the increase of £8.5 million in respect of drugs under the Northern Ireland appropriation for medical and practitioner services is due to increased prescriptions or to higher costs charged by the pharmaceutical companies.

Viscount Long

The Supplementary Estimate of £8.5 million for pharmaceutical services provides for an estimated increase of 2.6 per cent. in the number of prescriptions dispensed in 1983–84 compared with 1982–83, and an increase of 11.6 per cent. in their average cost.