§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many students have applied on the grounds of low income for automatic entitlement to free prescriptions and dental and optical treatment in each year since 1990; and what was the cost in each year of the administration of these entitlement claims;
(2) what proportion of full-time students in higher education applied for automatic entitlement of free prescriptions, dental and optical treatment in each year since 1990.
§ Dr. MawhinneyNot all of the requested information is available. In 1992–93, an estimated 153,000 claims from students under the national health service low income scheme resulted in full charge remission for prescriptions and dental treatment, and full help with optical costs. The cost of handling these claims was about £900,000.
614W