§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Minister of Health (1) if, excluding those in receipt of supplementary benefits, he will give his estimate of the number of people entitled to free dental treatment and spectacles under the National Health Service who do not apply for refunds; and if he will make a statement:
(2) what steps he is taking to end the system of refunding charges made for dental treatment and spectacles provided under the National Health Service in favour of one based on exclusions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonChildren are exempt from dental and optical charges (except for charges for glasses not in the standard range), and expectant and nursing mothers are exempt from the dental charges. No question of applying for refund therefore arises in these cases. It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the number of people who are entitled on grounds of low income 235W to a refund of these charges, but do not apply for it. I have no proposals for altering the present system.