§ 42. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Health the numbers of full and partial dentures, respectively, provided each year since the commencement of the National Health Service, to date; and the number of dentures which have been remade or relined.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithFrom the beginning of the National Health Service to 31st March, 1950, the numbers of full dentures (upper or lower) and partial dentures supplied were of the order of 5 million and 1½ million, respectively. For the year 1st April, 1950, to 31st March, 1951, the corresponding approximate figures are 3,780,000 and 1,150,000, and for the nine months ended 31st December, 1951, 2,210,000 and 780,000. Remaking is regarded as the supply of new dentures. Some 80,000 dentures were relined during 263W the first 10 months of the past financial year; figures for earlier periods are not available.
§ 44. Mr. Murrayasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that, since the Government's decision to impose charges to the public for dentures under the National Health Service, the volume of work has sharply declined; and if, in view of this threat to the nation's health, he will reconsider these charges.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithMy right hon. Friend is aware that there has been a decline in the demand for dentures, but he cannot accept the assumption that this necessarily means a threat to the nation's health. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "No."