§ Mr. Huntasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the regulations promulgating the new charges to dental patients, which came into force on 1st April, were not ready until 10th March and were not in the hands of general dental practitioners until 24th March.
§ Sir K. JosephI do not regard 10th March as an unreasonable date for the laying of the regulations, having regard to the time needed to prepare them and to consult interested bodies. Special distribution arrangements were made, with the assistance of the Dental Estimates Board, as soon as the necessary copies were available, and despatch to executive councils was completed on 18th March. I understand that the South-East London and Kent Executive Councils despatched copies to practitioners on 19th March.