§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he gave to the financial hardship likely to be caused to elderly pensioners suffering from shrinking gums before introducing the recent increase in charges for dentures and in view of the fact that an elderly couple can face charges total-ling in excess of £90 where they both require more than one set of dentures in a year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleThe incidence of all the increased dental charges was considered carefully and one of the reasons for introducing the new charges for high-cost items such as crowns was to ensure that charges for acrylic dentures would be kept below their full cost.
Full remission of charges is already available to those pensioners whose income is as much as £2.50 above supplementary benefit level. Those with incomes somewhat higher than that may qualify for partial remission, especially when they are faced with the higher charges.