§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost in each of the last four years of (a) orthodontic appliances, (b) dental care, and (c) spectacles issued free to supplementary benefit and family income supplement passport recipients.
§ Mr. MoyleI regret that the information is not available in the form requested. The total cost in England of dental treatment for patients automatically entitled to free treatment on grounds of low income—i.e., all "passport recipients"— was £5 million in 1975 and £7.3 million in 1976.
There is no comparable information about free ophthalmic treatment; however, the total cost of charges forgone in the last four years in respect of all spectacles supplied under the general ophthalmic services free or at reduced cost to adult patients on grounds of low income was, for England:
£ 1973 … … … 3,022,900 1974 … … … 2,703,708 1975 … … … 2,627,425 1976 … … … 4,858,263