§ Mr. MillerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 20 June,Official Report, columns 209–10, in respect of discrepancies in answers on prescriptions if she will make a statement on the steps she has taken to eliminate such errors; what are the implications that the corrected information will have on her assessment of the level of fraud in the NHS; and what are the differences between the data she placed in the Library on 15 June and the information provided to the Chester and Ellesmere Port community health council which make the latter commercial-in-confidence. [31049]
§ Mr. MaloneThe Department is reviewing internal procedures and use of the database package to minimise the risk of such errors reoccurring. The data supplied to the Chester and Ellesmere Port community health council 685W have not been used within the Department and so have no implications for any other analyses.
The information provided to the community health council included details of the numbers of prescription items and net ingredient cost for each preparation, which are considered to be commercial-in-confidence. The data placed in the Library on 15 June included only the names of the preparations, in alphabetical order.
§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate for the cost of administering the present prescription and exemption charges system in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [29584]
§ Mr. MaloneThe available information for England is shown in the table.
Administration cost of the National Health Service prescription system1 and the prescription charge exemption and remission arrangements in England in 1994–95 Item Cost £ Million Purchase of prescription forms for supply to doctors and dentists2 1.3 Pricing of prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and doctors3 28.0 Operation of the NHS Low Income Scheme in England and Wales3 5.2 Total 34.5 Notes: 1 Excludes fees paid to doctors, dentists and pharmacists for professional services and expenditure on the drugs bill. 2 Expenditure by Family Health Services Authorities. Other FHSA administration costs associated with the NHS prescription system and the charge exemption and remission arrangements are not separately identified. 3 Expenditure by the Prescription Pricing Authority. The costs of operating the NHS Low Income Scheme in England and Wales are not separately identified. The scheme provides remission of prescription charges and help with other NHS costs to eligible claimants and their dependents. Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the revenue raised through prescription charges in the United Kingdom in (i) 1992–93, (ii) 1993–94 and (iii) 1994–95; and if she will make statement. [29586]
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 9 December 1994 at column397. Figures for 1994–95 are not yet available. Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the cost of prescription charges since 1965 indicating the figure as a percentage of(a) average earnings, (b) the cost of living, (c) basic state pensions and (d) taxable pensions. [30501]
686W
§ Mr. MalonePrescription charges since 1965 are shown in the table. Details of average gross weekly earnings are contained in the "New Earnings Survey", a copy of which is in the Library. Everyone of state retirement pension age is entitled to free prescriptions, as are people of working age on low incomes who qualify for full remission of charges under the national health service low income scheme. In 1994, about 83 per cent. of prescribed items were dispensed free of charge compared with some 42 per cent. in 1968 when prescription charges were reinstated.
Prescription charges at 1 April 1965–1995 Year Prescription charges £ 1965 0.00 1966 0.00 1967 0.00 1968 0.00 1969 0.13 1970 0.13 1971 0.20 1972 0.20 1973 0.20 1974 0.20 1975 0.20 1976 0.20 1977 0.20 1978 0.20 1979 0.20 1980 0.70 1981 1.00 1982 1.30 1983 1.40 1984 1.60 1985 2.00 1986 2.20 1987 2.40 1988 2.60 1989 2.80 1990 3.05 1991 3.40 1992 3.75 1993 4.25 1994 4.75 1995 5.25