§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Social Services what is the amount of public funds allocated to intermediate treatment projects at the latest date for which information is available; and how this compares with the relevant figure five years previously.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe actual (or estimated) public expenditure in respect of intermediate treatment (IT) in England in the financial years 1980–81 and 1985–86 is as follows:
1980–81 (£ 000) 1985–86 (£ 000) Gross Expenditure by Local Authorities* 6,170 †17,535 Expenditure by DHSS (a) The IT Initiative ‡Nil 3,560 (b) The IT Fund 256 500
Prescriptions dispensed by chemists and appliance contractors in England: Number of prescriptions Of which dispensed free of charge Total Net Ingredient Cost Net Ingredient Cost of items dispensed free of charge Total cost (million) (per cent.) (£ million*) (£ million†) (£ million||) 1981 300 75 834 550 1,026 1982 311 77 977 655 1,181 1983 315 78 1,096 756 1,308 1984 321 79 1,181 815 1,409 1985 319 81 1,250 |888 1,518 * "Net Ingredient Cost" is the basic cost of the drug or appliance. † The percentages are estimates derived from a 1 in 20 sample of prescriptions. ‡ Based on January to November 1985 data. || "Total Cost" is the total cost of all prescriptions dispensed after deducting discount and adding on cost allowance, fees, container allowance and oxygen to the "net ingredient cost".