§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of NHS dentistry in Shropshire; and if he will make a statement. [109829]
§ Mr. HuttonNational Health Service Dental Services are accessible for much of the population of Shropshire, although I am aware that in some areas, there are longstanding problems of availability of NHS Dentistry. Shropshire Health Authority, through its Health Improvement Programme for 2000–01, has taken steps to enhance registration opportunities. These include a pilot for a Dental Access Centre, where services are offered to non-registered patients, as well as a number of "Investing in Dentistry" initiatives.