HL Deb 08 July 1997 vol 581 c66WA
Lord Milverton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is their policy to rule out charging NHS patients for general practitioner visits for the course of this Parliament.

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington)

The comprehensive spending review will review all aspects of Government spending in the context of the Government's election manifesto commitment, "If you are ill or injured there will be a National Health Service there to help; and access to it will be based on need and need alone—not on your ability to pay, or on who your general practitioner happens to be or where you live."