asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the loss of revenue occasioned by the fact that prescriptions dispensed by medical practitioners do not require the collection of charges in the same manner as those dispensed by chemist contractors.

We have no evidence to suggest any loss of revenue. Like pharmacists, dispensing doctors are required to collect charges on the NHS items they dispense although they do not employ the same mechanism as pharmacists. However, we are keeping this matter under review.