BBC News
Prescription campaign gets boost
A campaign by the Scottish Socialists to abolish NHS prescription charges has received a significant boost.
Holyrood's health committee has given its backing to MSP Colin Fox's bill.
Ministers remain totally opposed to the idea but have accepted that they will have to address flaws in the present set-up.
The SSP claims 75,000 Scots go without some or all of the medicine they require because of the cost of prescriptions, currently £6.50 each.
The party believes prescription charges undermine the core principal of the NHS - a service free to all in need.
However, it is known that 92% of Scottish prescriptions are already free.
On Wednesday, the health committee voted narrowly in favour of the abolition of charges.
Scottish National Party MSP Roseanna Cunningham said all members agreed that the status quo on prescription charges was not an option.
They believed there were too many inconsistencies and anomalies, with some people suffering from chronic illnesses and on low incomes eligible for free prescriptions, while others were not.
However, in its report, the committee criticised some of the financial evidence offered by SSP leader Mr Fox, claiming he had overestimated savings and underestimated costs.
As ministers have rejected the idea of abolishing charges it is thought to be unlikely that the bill will reach the statute book.
