---

NHS Charges: Health Committee Report

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health (Patricia Hewitt) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The Government have today laid before Parliament their response to the Health Select Committee report on NHS charges (Cm 6922). The Government are responding to the 22 recommendations made by the committee on areas such as prescription charges, car parking charges, dental charges, on eligibility for NHS sight tests and on the hospital travel costs scheme. As part of the response, the Government are committing to an internal review of prescription charges and a further Statement will be made to the House following the review prior to the summer recess next year. Further details on this review can be found in the government response. Copies of the response have been placed in the Library.