§ 1. Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the rate of dental caries among schoolchildren of primary age groups; and to what extent his Department's oral hygiene campaign has succeeded.
§ Mr. Chataway82.6 per cent. of the five year olds, according to a sample survey made last autumn, as compared with 87.2 per cent. at the last similar survey in 1958. Figures for the other primary age groups are not available. Local education authorities are giving increasing attention to dental health education in schools, but the credit for this improvement cannot be attributed to particular initiatives.