HC Deb 26 June 1990 vol 175 cc175-6W
Mr. Michael Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money is likely to be spent in each of the next five years in administering the indicative prescribing scheme under the proposed national health service reforms.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The indicative prescribing scheme should lead to more effective and efficient prescribing by GPs, the cost of which is currently £1.8 billion per annum. The scheme will require a "one-off" capital investment of around £7 million and have a recurring cost of around £7.5 million per annum at current prices.