§ 11.16 a.m.
§ Lord RugbyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to ensure that workers and craftsmen in industry are able to obtain from general supplies spectacles with the magnification appropriate to the needs of their occupations, and whether such spectacles can be classified as tools.
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government are not aware of any reasons why there should be difficulties with the supply of magnifying aids where these are required as a tool of trade.
§ Lord RugbyMy Lords, the noble Earl will have received a paper from me yesterday showing how the Association of Optical Practitioners has been operating a restriction on what it describes as magnifying spectacles in the form of twin lenses of indentical power. These are used extensively in industry, and the different magnifications are applicable to different jobs. Does the noble Earl agree that it is extremely important that people in industry should always have access, without prescription but by choice, to these particular magnifications? Will he assure the House that within supplies to industry these optical applicances will be available?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Rugby, in particular for giving me advance notice and sending me a copy of what he intended to ask. I can tell him that the Office of Fair Trading published a report on opticians and competition in December 1982. As a result of that report, the Association of Optical Practitioners withdrew a particular restrictive practice about which the noble Lord was concerned, as it did another restrictive practice concerning empty frames.
§ Lord RugbyMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl very much for that reply. Does that mean that they can be obtained without a prescription?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, if they are magnifying aids they can be obtained without prescription. If the spectacles or goggles are required to remedy a defect of sight, then a prescription will be needed.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, can the Minister give an assurance that such activity, if embarked upon, will conform to all the elements involved in safety at work legislation?
§ The Earl of LauderdaleMy Lords, my noble friend has referred to remedying a defect of sight. What about using machinery with spectacles such as mine, which are there to assist a defect of sight?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, if my noble friend has to wear glasses which are purely magnifying aids, 1463 then he will not need a prescription. If they are to remedy a defect of sight, which might involve a small magnification, he will need a prescription.