HC Deb 07 July 1915 vol 73 cc351-2
21. Sir J. D. REES

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what arrangements are made for dentistry for the troops; whether anything like an Army dental corps exists; whether the Government has its own laboratory for supplying dentures or whether it is paying the prices charged to the general public for dental materials; if so, whether the taxpayer is saddled with charges in excess of what the wholesale houses actually received from the dentists, who account directly to the Government; and whether due measures will be taken for the protection of the taxpayer in this behalf?

Mr. TENNANT

In some places there are specially appointed dental surgeons who devote their whole time to the troops, in others the work is done by selected civilian dental surgeons on terms arranged between them and the local military authorities, subject to a limit laid down by the War Office. A number of whole-time dental surgeons have received commissions, but there is no Army Dental Corps and no need for one. The Government has no laboratory for supplying dentures, but in certain places, including France, there are dental mechanics' shops for making and repairing dentures. At other places dentures are supplied by civil dentists on terms arranged locally, subject to a maximum fixed on the advice of expert dentists. The Government is getting dentures at reasonable rates and the taxpayer is carefully protected.

Sir J. D. REES

Is the right hon. Gentleman quite sure that the Government are not paying for the materials obtained from the wholesale denture manufacturers prices which the individual member of the public is paying, whereby the taxpayer loses the advantage he should get from the wholesale character of these transactions?

Mr. TENNANT

I have given the hon. Member the answer which has come from my Department. I have not personally investigated the matter, but I can assure him that the answers to these questions—the hon. Gentleman realises that there are a great number of them—are most carefully prepared in the Department and the statement is that the Government is obtaining these, articles at a reasonable price and that the taxpayer is carefully protected.

Mr. RAFFAN

Does the War Office still adhere to the policy of refusing, in all circumstances, to recognise the work of unregistered dentists, no matter how competent the man may be?

Mr. TENNANT

Yes, Sir, I am afraid we must adhere to that decision.