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Prescriptions

Volume 270: debated on Monday 22 January 1996

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To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the figures for disbursements by the Prescription Pricing Authority in England for each year since 1990 in respect of payments for drugs to dispensing doctors and drugs supplied by prescribing doctors in terms of (a) net ingredient cost, (b) discounted cost, (c) VAT, (d) container allowance, (e) dispensing fee, (f) on cost and (g) in total; and if he will make a statement. [9888]

Information on the actual payments, made direct by family health services authorities to doctors in England is shown in the table.

Year

Net ingredient cost £ million

Net ingredient cost less discount £ million

On cost allowance £ million

Percentage to basic price

Fees £ million

Container allowance £ million

Total payment oxygen £ million

VAT £ million

Total cost £ million

1990163.4153.817.20.030.41.30.023.1225.8
1991186.2175.019.50.033.61.40.129.7259.2
1992219.3206.223.00.035.11.50.136.0301.9
1993255.6240.626.80.036.71.60.141.8347.5
1994288.7271.930.30.038.61.60.146.7389.2

1. The information was obtained from the Prescription Pricing Authority.

2. The total cost is the remuneration and reimbursement paid for prescriptions dispensed by doctors and for personally administered items. This is calculated from the net ingredient cost of drugs appliances and chemical reagents dispensed, less a discount calculated from the discount scale, plus an on-cost allowance, a dispensing fee per prescription, a container allowance per prescription, and a VAT allowance where applicable. Payments are made in accordance with Paragraph 44 of the General Medical Services Statement on Fees and Allowances.