§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many copies of (a) P11 "NHS Prescriptions", (b) D11 "NHS Dental Treatment", (c) G11 "NHS vouchers for glasses (NHS glasses up to 1985)", (d) MV11 "Milk and Vitamins (for pregnant women)", and (e) H11"Help with Fares to Hospital", were produced for distribution in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland, for each of the financial years 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87.
§ Mr. Nicholas LyellThe number of leaflets produced and distributed in each of the financial years 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87 is shown in the table.
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Year Total number printed England Scotland Wales (Welsh Office) (a) P11 National Health Service prescriptions 1 2 1982–83 5,270,000 3,547,555 300,000 25,000 1983–84 5,500,000 1,866,460 100,000 28,000 1984–85 6,500,000 2,336,720 100,000 28,000 1985–86 7,700,000 3,765,084 100,000 28,000 1986–87 8,000,000 1,852,300 100,000 40,000 Total 32,970,000 13,368,119 700,000 149,000 (b) D11 National Health Service dental treatment 1 2 1982–83 3,500,000 522,664 21,700 17,000 1983–84 4,000,000 517,430 21,700 17,000 1984–85 4,000,000 517,370 21,700 17,000 1985–86 3,000,000 521,434 21,700 17,000 1986–87 2,500,000 518,485 21,700 40,000 Total 17,000,000 2,705,282 108,500 108,000 (c) G11 National Health Service vouchers for glasses (NHS glasses up to 1985) 1 2 1982–83 3,500,000 676,682 57,000 26,000 1983–84 3,344,000 884,223 150,000 26,000 1984–85 3,300,000 644,073 150,000 26,000 1985–86 3,175,000 1,657,487 175,000 28,000 1986–87 3,000,000 659,644 150,000 30,000 Total 16,319,000 4,522,109 682,000 136,000 (d) MV11 milk and vitamins (for pregnant women) 1 2 1982–83 4,300,000 1,273,815 100,000 10,000 1983–84 4,550,000 839,560 100,000 10,000 1984–85 1,850,000 721,023 100,000 10,000 1985–86 1,850,000 723,562 100,000 10,000 1986–87 1,950,000 737,414 100 10,000 Total 14,500,000 4,295,374 400,100 50,000 (e) H11 help with fares to hospital 1 2 1982–83 1,370,000 821,000 20,000 2,000 1983–84 1,500,000 412,163 10,000 2,000 1984–85 1,500,000 415,233 20,000 2,000 1985–86 1,500,000 415,232 10,000 2,000 1986–87 1,662,000 419,584 15,500 2,000 Total 6,032,000 2,485,330 75,500 10,000 Footnotes to table: 1 For initial distribution to all DHSS Local Offices. 2 For initial distribution by Scottish Home and Health Department to Health Boards etc. 3 For initial distribution by DHSS Central Office Scotland to local offices and Health Boards. Note:
Leaflets are also delivered to:
Citizens Advice Bureaux.
DHAs
FPCs
DHSS Leaflets Unit, Canons Park, Stanmore, Middlesex.
The balance of stock is held by HMSO.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (a) how many copies of the leaflet "The Health Service Today" were printed, (b) what was the cost, (c) whom they were distributed to, and (d) what was the cost of distribution to each of the categories mentioned in answer to (c).
§ Mrs. CurrieSix hundred thousand copies of the leaflet "The Health Service Today" were printed at a cost of £10,900. Copies were sent to all Members of Parliament representing English constituencies, and to the press. The360W main distribution is through regional health authorities and family practitioner committees. The cost of distribution was £17,084.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, why leaflets D11 (NHS dental treatment), G11. (NHS vouchers for glasses), MV1I (milk and vitamins for pregnant women) and H11 (Help with fares to hospital) were withdrawn from the Post Office in July.
§ Mr. LyellLeaflet H11 has never been distributed through post offices. Leaflets D11, G11 and MV11 have not been displayed in post offices since July 1985.
361WInformation about all the benefits referred to in the question is included in a single leaflet FB2 "Which benefit?", a brief guide to all social security benefits, which has recently been added to the displays of DHSS leaflets and posters in post offices.
The leaflets referred to in the question are distributed widely through local social security offices, DHSS leaflets unit and through many advice centres and libraries. In addition, leaflet D11 (NHS dental treatment) is distributed through dentists' surgeries, leaflet G11 (NHS vouchers for glasses) is distributed through opticians, leaflet MV11 (milk and vitamins) is distributed through clinics and H11 (fares to hospitals) is distributed through hospitals. It is both more helpful and more cost-effective to distribute these leaflets in this way than to do so through post offices.