§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Southport of 4 July,Official Report, column 150, why ophthalmic opticians receive a larger fee than ophthalmic medical practitioners for a National Health Service sight test; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe fee for ophthalmic opticians includes an allowance towards the overhead costs of running their practices. Ophthalmic medical practitioners on the other hand, usually work on a peripatetic basis. The overheads they incur are therefore that much lower and this is reflected in their fee.