Written question asked by George Walden (Conservative), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 March 1996. It was answered by Gerald Malone (Conservative) on Monday, 25 March 1996 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: What additional revenue would accrue from limiting free prescriptions to those on income support.

Answer: Mr. Walden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional revenue would accrue from limiting free prescriptions to those on income support.[21744] Mr. Malone: It is not possible to make a reliable estimate. The present categories of exemption or remission are not mutually exclusive. Many people qualify under several categories and therefore no reliable estimates can be made of the number of those who would qualify under income support alone and hence the number of people who would no longer qualify for free prescriptions.

Secondary information