§ Dame Jill KnightTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people over the age of 60, 65 and 70 years are eligible for an NHS eye examination.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThis information is not available centrally as not all the categories of exemption can be broken down into age bands.
§ Dame Jill KnightTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the average cost of a visit to a hospital ophthalmic out-patient department and (b) the current fee payable to an optometrist and an ophthalmic medical practitioner for an NHS eye examination.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIn 1991–92, the average total cost per ophthalmology out-patient attendance was approximately £39.
The current national health service sight test fees payable to optometrists and ophthalmic medical prac-titioners are £12.75 and £10.15 respectively.