asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the criteria for chronic diseases which exempt patients from prescription charges.

The criteria for including a condition in the list of specified medical conditions which attract exemption from prescription charges have always been that it should be a permanent and clearly identifiable condition requiring continuous medication: most listed conditions require specific substitution therapy. The General Medical Services Committee, representing the medical profession, must be consulted and only if it agrees that a condition satisfies these criteria is it included in the list.