Has the Minister carried out a comparative analysis of the type of pain-killer prescribed under the GMS since the removal of various items from the scheme including very limited pain-killers and analgesics. Is the Minister satisfied that more potent analgesics are not being used now?

I am generally satisfied that the cover under the GMS scheme is reasonable for pain-killing tablets and analgesics. Pain-killing tablets and capsules were prescribed on 969,720 occasions under the GMS scheme in 1983. One million people are covered by the GMS. There were 1 million occasions on which prescriptions were issued. The cost of those tablets was £6½ million. The coverage is adequate. I have not received any great volume of complaints.

I asked if more potent analgesics are now being used as a result of removing simple analgesics from the GMS list?

That suggestion has been made but the General Medical Services Payment Board do not agree with the allegation. My main preoccupation is with the fact that too many drugs are being prescribed. The trouble is that people who go to a doctor, particularly if they have a medical card, do not seem to be happy — nor do the doctors — unless they are given a prescription for something. I am thinking of supplying a lot of coloured water and sugar to a lot of doctors.