§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of people exempt from dental charges and his Department's estimate of the number of people entitled to receive
Thousands Dental Charges Year Supplementary Benefit FIS Other low Income Total 1970 … … … … … 232 — 25 257 1971 … … … … … 287 1 86 374 1972 … … … … … 316 7 117 440 1973 … … … … … 299 7 104 410 1974 … … … … … 271 6 87 364 All low Income 1974 (November to December) … 15 1975 … … … … … 438 1976 … … … … … 606
Thousands Optical Charges Year Supplementary Benefit FIS Other low Income Total 1970 … … … … … 563 — 51 614 1971 … … … … … 636 1 144 781 1972 … … … … … 642 4 162 809 1973 … … … … … 622 4 144 769 1974 … … … … … 548 3 122 673 All low Income 1974 (November to December) … 10 1975 … … … … … 564 1976 … … … … … 691 The figures above refer to numbers of successful claims, not to numbers of persons claiming. Remission arrangements changed on 1st November 1974. From that date, no breakdown of the numbers of claimants between those receiving FIS or supplementary benefit and others has been possible. Sources: To 31st October 1974—DHSS local offices: from 1st November 1974—family practitioner committees.