§ 22. Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the increase in the expenditure on asthma-related prescriptions in Berkshire since 1988. [27733]
§ Mr. MaloneThe net ingredient cost of national health service prescriptions for medicines and appliances used in the treatment of asthma and related conditions in Berkshire family health services authority was £5.6 million in 1993 and £5.9 million in 1994. The net ingredient cost is the basic price of a drug before discounts and the addition of dispensing costs or fees. Retrieval of data from earlier years could be made only at a disproportionate cost.