§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish the current administrative costs of running a means-tested scheme for the remission or reduction of charges for dental treatment in the case of pensioners in receipt of supplementary pensions and those people of State retirement age on low incomes;
(2) if he will publish the current administrative costs of running a means-tested scheme for the remission or reduction of charges for optical treatment in the case of pensioners in receipt of supplementary pensions and those people over State retirement age on low incomes.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe cost to my Department of administering the scheme of help with dental and optical charges on grounds of low income is estimated at £½ million. I regret that it is not possible to say how much of this relates to people of retirement age, or to give separate figures in relation to dental charges and to optical charges. Pensioners receiving supplementary pension are entitled to remission of charges automatically.