§ 30. Mr. E. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Health how many estimates per week are received on the average from dentists by the Dental Estimates Board; and what is the number of staff employed by the Board to deal with these estimates.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithOn the average 160,000 new estimates are received each week together with 40,000 estimates submitted for a second time. The staff numbers 926, some of whom are employed part-time.
§ Mr. E. WakefieldWould my hon. Friend agree that these figures indicate an excessive degree of centralisation? Would she ask her right hon. Friend to apply his mind to what is in essence a problem in mathematics?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithThere is a large sum of public money involved, and my right hon. Friend feels that the service is better centred under one organisation.