§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will remove the limit imposed on the quantity of interdens prescribed to patients between the ages of 15 and 21 years in the interests of the prevention of dental decay and the costly subsequent treatment that arises therefrom;
(2) why prescriptions for interdens issued by dental departments of hospitals 273W and by doctors have a limit imposed on the quantity allowed on each prescription.
§ Mr. AlisonInterdens is not one of the appliances which a chemist is required to supply under the National Health Service: the Act of 1946 does not authorise its prescription by dentists providing general dental services. In dental departments of hospitals the quantity of any item prescribed would be governed by the assessment of the patient's needs.