Question follow-through · 60738
Prescriptions: Fees and Charges
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse is for free prescriptions for people over the age of 60.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- 17 Jun 2025
- Target answer date
- 23 Jun 2025
- Answer
- 23 Jun 2025 · 6 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Health and care
- General Practitioners: Leicestershire · 18 Jun 2025
- General Practitioners: Finance · 23 Jun 2025
- Dental Services: Contracts · 15 Jul 2025
- Dental Services: Employers' Contributions · 16 Jul 2025
- Dental Services: Employers' Contributions · 16 Jul 2025
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Votes on this topic
- Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading · 11 Sept 2026
- Health Bill: Report Stage: Amendment 1 · 8 Sept 2026
- Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 143 · 8 Sept 2026
These Commons divisions share a topic label. The question did not necessarily lead to a vote.
Recorded timeline
17 Jun 2025
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse is for free prescriptions for people over the age of 60.
23 Jun 2025
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
23 Jun 2025
Answer published
There were 781 million items with a combined total net ingredient cost (NIC) of £5.9 billion dispensed to patients aged 60 years old and over in 2024/2025.National Health Service patients pay a fixed charge for each prescription item dispensed in primary ...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
General Practitioners: Leicestershire
18 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of integrated care boards in delivering new (a) GP and (b) medical centres in Leicestershire.
General Practitioners: Finance
23 Jun 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to conduct a review of the Carr-Hill formula in Primary Care Networks.
Dental Services: Contracts
15 Jul 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the revised NHS dental contract to be implemented.
Dental Services: Employers' Contributions
16 Jul 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of eligibility requirements for Employment Allowance relief on decisions by dental practices to maintain their NHS commitments.
Dental Services: Employers' Contributions
16 Jul 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of NHS dental practices expected to reduce their NHS activity below 50% in order to qualify for Employment Allowance relief.
Dental Services: Employers' Contributions
16 Jul 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of reforming Employment Allowance rules to ensure that NHS dental practices are adequately encouraged to pro
Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
10 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to review the 60% disability threshold requirement to qualify for the vaccine damage payment scheme.
Palliative Care
27 Oct 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care.
Coronavirus: Vaccination
4 Nov 2025 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review the covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria for (a) frontline workers and (b) carers to ensure that (i) those who work in high-risk environments, (ii) those who prov
NHS: Waiting Lists
14 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce NHS waiting lists in Leicestershire.
NHS: Private Sector
14 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NHS procedures have been conducted in private hospitals in the 2025-26 financial year.
Physiotherapy: Employment
3 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that newly qualified physiotherapists are able to access Band 5 employment opportunities within the NHS, in the context of recruitment freezes and rece