Parliamentary Questions - Written Replies

PRIVATE PITS: Government support for management and employee teams bidding for the privatisation of British Coal will be a maximum rate of 50 per cent of the eligible costs of employing consultants or advisers, Tim Eggar, Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, said. Support for any team will not exceed pounds 200,000.

PRESCRIPTIONS: More than half of all prescriptions for drugs and applicances dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors have a net ingredient cost of less than pounds 1, Brian Mawhinney, the health minister, told Dawn Primarolo (Lab, Bristol S). He said that 32,690 items cost less than 40p (8.5 per cent); 49,753 less than 60p (12.9); 61,449 less than 80p (15.9) and 73,937 less than pounds 1 (19.1 per cent).

Business today

Commons: Scottish questions. European Parliamentary Elections Bill, remaining stages. Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme. Lords: Crofters (Scotland) Bill, committee. Scottish Land Court Bill, committee. Railways Bill, committee. Debate on identity cards.