Foster Welcomes Bill To End Prescription Charges For Chronically ill
Bath MP, Don Foster, is urging local people to show their support for a new bill which would exempt people with chronic illnesses from paying prescription charges.

The Prescriptions (Chronic Diseases) Bill will be proposed in the House of Commons today (Wednesday 19th June) by Paul Marsden MP, who left Labour for the Liberal Democrats in December 2001.

Don Foster MP commented:

"I fully support this Bill, these charges are unfair and deter many patients from getting the treatment they need. People with long-term illnesses should not be left with the burden of prescription charges for their whole lives.

"It’s time Labour realised that the current system is unfair and forces less well off patients to choose which drugs they can afford to buy.

"Only the Liberal Democrats are serious about providing an NHS free at the point of need. If the Government is unwilling to take practical steps to achieve that, the Liberal Democrats will."

Don Foster is urging local people to show their support for the move.

"I have already raised individual cases with the Minister. But to persuade the Government not to block this Bill, we need to show them that it has overwhelming support in Parliament and across the country. That is why we are asking everyone who supports it to write to their MP asking them, firstly, to pass on their letter of support to the Health Secretary, and, secondly, to sign early day motion 991 to show their own support for this proposal."

Notes for Editors follow…

Notes for Editors:

• An Early Day Motion relating specifically to people suffering from cystic fibrosis reads as follows:
That this House believes people with cystic fibrosis should not have to pay prescription charges.
This has gained widespread support in the Commons with 75 signatures.

• The cost of the proposal is around £83 million (20% of current income from prescriptions), which Liberal Democrats believe can be found from within the extra money provided to the health service in this year's Budget.

ENDS.