HC Deb 30 June 1949 vol 466 cc1486-7
5. Mr. Oliver

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to induce dental surgeons to take employment in the school dental service; whether he is aware that by reason of the disparity in remuneration between dental surgeons in private practice and those engaged in the education service the Borough of Ilkeston has been without a school dentist for over a year; and whether it is his intention to deal with remuneration as a first step to rehabilitate this branch of the education service in the near future.

Mr. Tomlinson

The difficulty at Ilkeston has arisen through the death of the school dentist last November. The local education authority have made emergency arrangements for a dentist to deal with urgent cases on two days a month. With regard to the salary difficulties which are holding up the development of the School Dental Service, I cannot add anything to the reply which my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health, gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Baird) on 12th May.

Mr. Oliver

I have not got that reply, neither do I know what is in it, but would the right hon. Gentleman say whether any effective steps are to be taken to rehabilitate this important service in the education field? Does he not know that the dental surgery commences in the schools?

Mr. Tomlinson

I certainly know it commences in the schools or prior to the schools at the maternity and child welfare centres. The vexed question of salaries is under consideration at the moment, and until that is settled, it seems to me it is well-nigh impossible through the local authorities to develop the service.

Mr. Oliver

Could my right hon. Friend say whether there is any prospect of the matter of remuneration being settled in the near future?

Mr. Tomlinson

I do not know. It all depends on what it meant by "the near future."

Mr. Kenneth Lindsay

Is it not intolerable that this service, which is the basis of one of the most important parts of the school medical service, should be held up indefinitely in this way? Could not the right hon. Gentleman have consultations with his colleagues on this matter and see whether something could be done soon?

Mr. Tomlinson

We are in consultation and we are trying to relieve the difficulties as soon as possible.

Forward to