§ Mr. Blackburnasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in the city of Birmingham, many more cases are dealt with by ophthalmic practitioners than in the eye hospitals; and whether, in view of the present need to avoid all inessential expenditure and use of manpower on civil building, he will postpone until further experience has been gained, plans for the building and development of new central ophthalmic clinics designed to take over the present services from the scheme operated by private enterprise ophthalmic opticians.
§ Mr. MarquandThe Government's policy for ophthalmic services remains as stated in the White Paper on the National Health Service Bill but there are at present no plans for the building of central ophthalmic clinics in Birmingham.