§ 41. Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking in view of the fact that the Annual Report of his Chief Medical Officer reveals that in Sunderland there is only one dental practitioner to 9,210 persons.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe shortage of dentists is a general problem which affects the country as a whole. I told the House on 24th July last that the Government had accepted the recommendation in the Report of the McNair Committee regarding the need to expand the facilities for training dental students. Steps are being taken to stimulate recruitment as recommended by that committee.
§ Mr. WilleyWhilst appreciating the general problem, does not the Minister recognise that this revelation is a shock to some of us in Sunderland and that we are very badly off in this respect? Can nothing be done to ensure that dentists are better distributed?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI have, of course, no power to direct dentists to particular areas, nor would I wish to have. There is a general problem, and Sunderland will be helped as we expand the dental training facilities in the way I have described.