§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of goods and services provided under the National Health Service by opticians in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. AlisonI regret that comprehensive figures as requested are not available. Under the general ophthalmic services payments to opticians by executive councils, plus charges paid by patients under the National Health Service Acts 1951 and 1961 and retained by opticians, in England were:—
£ million 1967–68 … … … … 18.41 1968–69 … … … … 19.63 1969–70 … … … … 21.77 1970–71 … … … … 23.98 1971–72 … … … … 22.12 These figures exclude:
- (a) the charges payable by patients under the National Health Service Act 1946 for repairs and replacements necessitated by lack of care and for various goods and ser vices which may be supplied at the patient's option, and
- (b) payment to opticians by hospital authorities and by patients for their work under the hospital eye service,
statistics of which are not centrally collected.