§ 31. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many dentists between the ages of 60 to 65 years are not in receipt of the full pension to which they are entitled.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyI know of none, but the pension of a dental practitioner who has retired from the National Health Service and who resumes practice, or who undertakes further employment paid for from public funds, is reduced if pension and earnings together amount to more than the practitioner's highest rate of earnings before retirement. I estimate that such a reduction applies to about 100 practitioners in the age group mentioned by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsIs the Minister aware that it is in the cases which he has mentioned and to which I particularly refer that the bunching of receipts from part-time work under the National Health Service sometimes takes place, with the result that the annual total is below the limit of abatement of pension to which a practitioner is entitled?
§ Dr. DunwoodyAs the hon. Member knows, provision for abatement of pensions as a result of re-employment is a normal condition of public service schemes. If, however, the hon. Member has any particular problems on the lines mentioned by him perhaps he would care to write to me about them.