§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which 10 architectural partnerships have received the most commissions since 1997 from the NHS; and how much money each has each received for its work. [569311
§ Mr. HuttonOf the 28 major hospital schemes (24 private finance initiatives and four public capital) which have reached financial close, the following architect firms and services have been commissioned by national health service trusts:
§ Mr. LammyOur policy is to give priority to helping people who may have difficulty in paying charges, rather than extending the exemption arrangements to people with other medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
When we reviewed the prescription charging arrangements as part of the 1998 comprehensive spending review, we noted that there was no consensus on what additional conditions might be included in any revised list of medical exemptions, or how distinctions could be drawn between one condition and another. We concluded that it would not be right to consider one group in isolation.
545WWe do not have information on what percentage of sufferers of cystic fibrosis are in receipt of free prescriptions. Information about items dispensed does not include information about patients.
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what medical conditions confer NHS prescription charge exemption; and in which year they were made exempt. [58355]
§ Mr. LammyThe medical conditions conferring exemption from prescription charge were introduced in 1968 and are set out in the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000. They are:
- 1. permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;
- 2. the following disorders:
- forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
- diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism diabetes mellitus-except where treatment is by diet alone hypoparathyroidism
- myasthenia gravis
- myxoedema
- 3. epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy;
- 4. a continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.
§ Mr. LyonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost would be of removing prescription charges in the UK. [60483]
§ Mr. LammyWe estimate that the loss of prescription charge income in England would be around £434 million in 2002–03. Additionally, there could be significant additional costs to the drugs bill if people who currently pay charges sought prescriptions for medicines and other items which they currently purchase.