HC Deb 23 July 1942 vol 382 cc178-9
58. Mr. Lindsay

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will encourage local education authorities to provide continued dental treatment for young people who have been regularly inspected and treated while at school and who now belong to youth organisations?

Mr. Butler

It is open to doubt whether local education authorities have power to provide dental treatment for young people who have left school and belong to youth organisations. I fully realise the importance of this matter, but am bound to say that the shortage of dental officers, due to the demands of the Services, would make a general extension of the School Dental Service impossible at present.

Mr. Lindsay

Will my right hon. Friend look at the schemes at Cambridge and at Guildford, where they are, in fact, putting this into practice?

Mr. Butler

That is not under the powers which I would like to see, but which do not exist. It is under other powers.