§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of people entitled to free prescriptions at 31 March 1988, and what is the corresponding figure for the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Mellor[holding answer 28 July 1989]: It is estimated that the number of people entitled to free prescriptions at 31 March 1988 was 23.7 million. The corresponding figure for 31 March 1989, the latest date for which information is available, is estimated to have been 23.6 million.
These figures show that despite some far-reaching changes in the social security system and certain changes in the arrangements for exemption from prescription charges that took effect in April 1988, they had little significant impact upon the total number of people entitled to free prescriptions.