§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the value to the NHS of the discount claw-back on drug purchases privately negotiated by pharmaceutical chemists in each of the past four years for which figures are available.
586W
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe discount recovered from community pharmacists in England and Wales in each of the past four years is given in the table.
Year Discount recovered £ million 1987–88 134.0 1988–89 154.7 1989–90 171.5 1990–91 220.5 The discount recovery scheme ensures that the NHS benefits from the discounts pharmacists receive from wholesalers and manufacturers. The increase over the four years is due partly to increased drug costs and partly to increased discounts achieved.