§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the cost saving to the National Health Service which will arise from limited list prescribing.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke£75 million.
§ Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of the proposals to permit the National Health Service prescription and dispensing of scheduled drugs in exceptional circumstances.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Chief Medical Officer's group of medical and pharmaceutical experts, set up to advise us on the contents of the selected list, considered that the drugs which remain available under the National Health Service met all clinical needs in the therapeutic categories concerned. We expect that implementation of our proposals for an appeal mechanism in exceptional circumstances would result in the prescription of very few scheduled drugs, with minimal effect on the selected list savings.