§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will initiate an investigation into the causes of the sudden increase in Dental Estimates Board appeals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. Seventy per cent. of the appeals received since January 1984 were against decisions of the Dental Estimates Board that complex and expensive bridge treatment proposed by the dentist was not clinically necessary to secure the dental fitness required by regulations. Because of our concern about the extent of unnecessary treatment, I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox), at column217, a committee of inquiry with wide terms of reference to look into this matter.