§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recommendations were made by the health benefits review regarding the period of the certificate of entitlement to prescriptions;
(2). whether the alternative schemes costed by the health benefits review included one based on exemptions and passporting;
(3). whether the terms of reference of the health benefits review include part-payment of prescription charges for low-income persons; and what plans she now has to introduce such help;
(4) when she commenced the review of the health benefits low-income scheme; what was the expected time scale for the review; and what was the expected date of publication of the results.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 14 January 1994]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 22 May 1991 at column 530 that the Department of Health would undertake a review of the administration of the national health service low-income scheme during 1991, and would aim to produce proposals by the end of that year.
The review made a number of proposals for consideration. These were reworked during 1992, as improved statistical information became available, and reconsidered afresh in 1993 as an integral part of the fundamental review of health expenditure. We plan to announce the outcome shortly.
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