§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the effect of the current national health service terms on whether dentists in Scotland are withdrawing from national health service work or seeking to increase their private practice.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 1 November 1994]: Since the current dental contract was introduced on 1 October 1990, the number of dentists on health board lists have increased from 1,626 to 1,757. General dental practitioners are independent contractors who are free to choose whether they wish to join a health board dental list to provide NHS services, and to decide whether to give NHS treatment to each individual patient. No information is available on dentists' private practices.