HC Deb 09 December 1957 vol 579 cc893-4
31. Mr. Mellish

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the overtime ban that has been imposed by the Eastbourne Dental Estimates Board; and if he will make a statement, with particular reference to the effect of such a ban on statistics which are required by his Department.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I am aware that overtime is not at present being worked at the Dental Estimates Board. The approval of treatment and the payment of dentists is not being delayed. The statistics required by my Department are obtained from information provided over a period, and it is too early to say what the effect will be on this work.

Mr. Mellish

As the Minister knows, he has given an optimistic reply. In fact, the Board is responsible for the whole of the statistics which his Ministry requires. As the right hon. and learned Gentleman has said, the statistics are obtained from information provided over a period, but within that period during which overtime is not worked his Ministry will be in serious trouble. What does the Minister intend to do about the position so far as the National Health Service is affected? Does he intend to leave matters as they are and do nothing about the situation? Is that the way he wants the Service to work?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I have always deprecated the institution of this overtime ban. So far as the Board is concerned, some of the staff were willing to continue working overtime, but others were not, and in those circumstances the Board decided that it was impracticable to organise overtime work. I should add that over the period of a year the average overtime worked by the staff of the Board has been rather less than two hours a week.

Dr. Summerkill

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the returns which have to be made by dentists are of an exceedingly detailed nature, and although he has said that there is no confusion at present, there must be a time-lag between the receipt of those returns and the time when the Minister has appreciated that the failure to do the normal overtime work has resulted in certain chaos which he will be unable to remedy?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I naturally keep all these matters under very careful consideration and review, but I do not expect any chaos to arise.