§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the practice prescribing costs per practice as national averages for fund holder and non-fund holder general practitioners.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe prescribing costs—net ingredient cost—per practice for fund holders in England in 1992–93 was £614,314 and the figure for non-fund holders was £298,718 per practice. There is no valid comparison because fund-holding practices which are generally larger than non-fund-holding practices therefore incur higher prescribing costs. The average prescribing expenditure—net ingredient cost—per patient in 1992–93 was £56.08 for fund-holding practices and £60.39 for non-fund-holding practices.