asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of treatment of psoriasis.

I regret that the information requested is not available. It is not possible from the health services costing returns to identify the cost of treating specified diseases or conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people who suffer from psoriasis; and what is the incidence among (a) children, and (b) adults.

It is estimated that the number of sufferers from psoriasis in the United Kingdom is between 1 million and 1½ million. The disease is less common in children than in adults.