§ Andy BurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected level of the overspend is on the general practitioner prescribing budget in the Wigan and Bolton health authority; and what the expected average overspend is on the prescription budget for health authorities in England. [31109]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 January 2002]: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
The latest forecast of the overspend on practice prescribing budgets for Wigan and Bolton health authority suggests there will be a 12.1 per cent. overspend in 2001–02. This position is based on practice budgets notified to the Prescription Pricing Authority and prescribing data up to and including December 2001. The expected average overspend on prescribing budgets for all health authorities in England indicates a 7.2 per cent. overspend nationally.
Note:
The prescribing budgets notified to the PPA are practice level prescribing budgets. They do not necessarily reflect the total resource set aside locally for prescribing as primary care trusts, primary care groups and health authorities may hold contingency reserves.