§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the annual cost, and what would be the current charges if prescription charges had been raised in line with inflation since 1979.
§ Dr. MawhinneyA cost of about £170 million in 1991–92, and a current charge of 69p.
Only one in five items dispensed in the National Health Service now attracts a charge at the point of dispensing, compared with two in five in 1979. In 1991, over 100 million more items were dispensed free of charge than in 1979. Although the prescription charge has increased, it continues to represent less than half the average total cost of a prescribed item to the NHS.