§ 35. Mr. Mappasked the Minister of Health if he will give the number of dental practitioners within the Oldham area; how many are employed full and part time, respectively, in the school dental service; and what action he proposes to ensure that the dental needs of the area are adequately met.
§ Miss PittTwenty-three; two and six; my right hon. Friend has no power to direct dentists to serve in any particular area.
§ Mr. MappFirst, would the hon. Lady be good enough to inform us, of the results of the consultations which the Department undertook in March last with local authorities and the professional associations? Secondly, would she say whether in those negotiations or discussions and in subsequent discussions the Department was prepared to consider some initial allowance arrangement such as that which applies in the other professions of the medical world in areas which are under-serviced?
§ Miss PittI have no knowledge of the consultations between local authorities and professional organisations to which the hon. Gentleman referred. I will make inquiries about them. The question of an initial allowance in the dental service is different from that allowed in the case of doctors because the general dental service is not run on the same lines.
§ 36. Mr. Mappasked the Minister of Health if he will give the number of doctors and dentists, respectively, at the 616 end of September, 1951, and September, 1961, in the county boroughs and county of Lancashire; and what plans he has to restore to the areas concerned adequate medical and dental services.
§ Miss PittFigures at the nearest available dates are: doctors, 1,886 in January, 1951, 2,197 in September, 1961; dentists, 1,103 in July, 1951, 979 in January, 1961. The second part of the Question does not arise as regards doctors; as regards dentists, I would refer the hon. Member to my last reply.
§ Mr. MappIs the hon. Lady aware that there are 40 areas in Lancashire alone which are under-serviced in both elements, a situation which I believe to be general throughout the older areas of the country? Is the Minister really concerned with ensuring that the under-serviced areas have an equitable and proper proportion of the services for which they generally pay?
§ Miss PittI must repeat that my right hon. Friend has no power to direct dentists, but we are aware of the shortage, which is nation-wide. We are taking all the steps that we can to produce the required numbers. New training schools are being provided. But it all takes time.