§ Lord RUGBYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider it ethical to deprive those with normal eyesight of their ancient right to select and purchase magnifying lenses in whatever form and for whatever purpose they choose, without statutorily compelling them to undergo eye tests by retail opticians.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I understand the noble Lord's Question relates to the spectacles with magnifying lenses some people need for reading and close work, not to ordinary hand-held magnifiers, which are widely available. Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that the statutory restrictions on the testing of sight and the supply of optical appliances under the Opticians Act 1958 work in the best interests of patients by ensuring that the care of sight is entrusted to suitably qualified practitioners.
§ Lord RUGBYMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for answering that Question. But are not Her Majesty's Government now perfectly placed to lend a sympathetic ear to that vast army of deprived and overcharged citizens by putting back reading spectacles where they rightly belong, on the shop counter, so that all may select according to their special and immediate needs and that citizens should be treated once more as responsible, intelligent human beings having minds of their own and able to decide precisely their own needs, including the absolutely 482 personal one of not undergoing consultative eye tests unless they so wish and without being deprived of the right to read?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, that is a powerful question. There has been a great deal of interest in this subject recently, and this is the second Question that we have had on the subject during this month. It is clear to me that many noble Lords are quite concerned about the matter generally and I wonder whether the noble Lord would think it might be useful to put down an Unstarred Question so that we can debate the matter properly.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the General Optical Council is made up of members of the profession and of the industry and there are no representatives of the consumers, but it is the consumers who are paying these enormous bills for spectacles and frames? Should they not be represented before being asked to pay £60, £70 and even £80 for a pair of spectacles, which is far above the level in any other country in the world?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEThat is perfectly true, my Lords.
§ Lord WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether I have understood the original Question correctly. I think the noble Lord, Lord Rugby, suggested that spectacles should be made available in shops to those people who may want them. If I am right in my understanding, may I ask the noble Lord, Lord Cullen of Ashbourne, to see that the Government reject that idea in every possible way. We certainly do not want to go back to the time when people went into shops and selected their spectacles, not knowing whether or not they were really suitable.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, it is just because there are such strong views on both sides of this matter that I thought it would be better if we could have a proper debate.
§ Lord NORTHFIELDMy Lords, would not price display, as the noble Lord, Lord Orr-Ewing, and I have urged, go some way towards reducing prices and 483 starting real competition? Can the noble Lord tell us whether the opticians' council has now come out definitely against price display and whether Her Majesty's Government are accepting defeat on that issue?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I am afraid I cannot answer that. I know that there has been a definite restriction on price display and there was recently a case where somebody got into difficulty over having displayed prices. The council still stick to the same line, but I should not like to say that we have come to any decision on the matter as yet.
§ Lord CLIFFORD of CHUDLEIGHMy Lords, as the deafest Member of your Lordships' House, may I ask the noble Lord whether he will also consider this question in respect of hearing aids?
§ Lord LEATHERLANDMy Lords, may I clear up one point on which I have some doubt: if my sight is weak in one eye and strong in the other, can I get a monocle on the National Health Service?
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I am sorry I did not hear that question.
§ Lord MURRAY of GRAVESENDMy Lords, I am surprised at the reticence of the Government on this, in view of their shortsighted policies.