The Department does not hold data on the number of patients prescribed methylphenidate hydrochloride drugs. In terms of the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England, I refer the right hon. Lady to the answer given on 9 May, Official Report, column 279W.
Data on the number of prescription items prescribed in the community and then dispensed are collected at primary care trust (PCT) level. The equivalent PCTs to the constituency of Maidenhead are the combination of Berkshire East PCT (formerly Bracknell Forest, Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead and Slough) and Berkshire West PCT (formerly Newbury and Community, Reading and Wokingham) created in October 2006.
Data for these combined PCTs are provided in the following table.
Number of prescription items dispensed 2003 4.9 2004 5.6 2005 5.7 2006 6.9 Note: Local data are from the prescription pricing division's (PPD's) prescribing analysis and cost tool (PACT) system. This is held for a maximum of 60 months only, therefore data areprovided from 2003 onwards. Source: Prescribing Analysis and Cost Tool (PACT) system