HC Deb 09 May 1978 vol 949 cc960-2
10. Mr. Arthur Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost of abolishing (a) dental and (b) optical charges for all those over State retirement age.

Mr. Moyle

Assuming no increase in demand, I estimate that the annual cost of abolishing dental and optical charges for those over State retirement age would be in the region of £4 million and £6 million respectively.

Mr. Latham

Will my hon. Friend accept that I understand the difficulties arising from what happened last night and that only hon. Members on this side of the House have a right to put Questions of this sort? Can he confirm, however, that it is still the Government's intention to abolish all Health Service charges? Would he not agree that a good start could be made with elderly people and that the sums he has indicated are not prohibitive? Would this not be far better than the present system under which only those on supplementary benefit and those who do not know that they qualify for low-income exemption, at £2.50 above supplementary benefit level, get any advantage? Will he look at this matter seriously with a view to exempting all retired people, who are the one section of the community who have no time to wait?

Mr. Moyle

It remains our intention to phase out all NHS charges. We shall be giving continuing consideration to the possibilities of bringing about the course of action that my hon. Friend desires. However, I am not entirely sure whether it is the right way to start as there are a number of people over retirement age who are better off than many under retirement age. Nevertheless, I shall want to give consideration to that.

Mr. Bowden

What steps will the Minister take to help pensioners who are being turned away by dentists who refuse to carry out treatment on them because it is uneconomical to do so?

Mr. Moyle

We have put the dispute between ourselves and the British Dental Association to the Doctors, and Dentists' Review Body, and we hope that it will be able to make some suggestions that will help us to resolve the matter.

Mr. William Hamilton

Does my hon. Friend realise that in "The Right Approach" the Conservative Party has said that it will substantially increase all charges in the NHS, although it was significant that in yesterday's debate Opposition Members did not put forward that proposal as a means of reducing public expenditure?

Mr. Moyle

It is quite clear, as my hon. Friend indicates, that the way in which the Opposition hope to recoup the £370 million that they cost the Government last night is by imposing charges on the Health Service. That emerged during our debate a couple of weeks ago.

Mrs. Knight

Will the hon. Gentleman take note that the information given by the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) is entirely incorrect? Will he consider the possibility of achieving savings in the NHS in both specialties by altering the clerical machinery? Is he aware that the form filling that is involved in providing NHS spectacles for the elderly is cumbersome, complicated, bureaucratic and thus extremely expensive?

Mr. Moyle

We are always reviewing the administrative procedures in the Health Service with a view to simplifying them. If the hon. Lady expects to save £370 million by reviewing and re-organising the administrative procedures of the Service, I think that she is looking for savings that are not there. What Opposition Members intend to do if ever they become the Government is on the record in the report of the debate which took place a fortnight ago.