§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was, for each year since 1979, the number of glasses with National Health Service frames supplied to adults and the number supplied with private frames.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe numbers of glasses with National Health Service frames supplied to adults and the numbers of private frames glazed with National Health Service lenses are as follows. Information on the number of private frames glazed with private lenses is not collected but estimated figures can be provided. The numbers relate to dispensings in England only.
NHS frames and lenses million 1979 1.4 1980 1.5 1981 1.5 1982 1.6
Private frames and NHS lenses million 1979 1.4 1980 1.5 1981 1.5 1982 1.6 Note: Estimated number of wholly private dispensers.
million 1979 2.0 1980 1.9 1981 1.8 1982 2.0 Note: These figures are estimated from the number of prescriptions following NHS sight tests which are not dispensed under the NHS.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost to the National Health Service in each year since 1979 of glasses with National Health Service frames sold to adults; and how much was raised from their sales.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe information collected on expenditure does not distinguish between NHS lenses in NHS frames and NHS lenses in private or reglazed frames. Similarly, information on patients' charges does not distinguish between payments for lenses fitted to NHS, private or reglazed frames. Income attributable to wholly NHS glasses is therefore not available.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the mean and median average cost of a pair of National Health Service frames.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAdult NHS frames vary in price between £2.05 and £13.05.
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§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the mean and median average cost of a pair of private frames sold with National Health Service lenses.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOur Department does not collect information on the cost of private frames
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which organisations of opticians or consumers he consulted before announcing his proposal to cease to provide National Health Service spectacle frames for people who wish to buy them.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe reached our decision on the future of the general opthalmic service as part of a continuing review of services and how they can best be provided. It seemed clear that once the market in optical services had been adjusted in favour of the consumer, these services could best be provided by that market. We undertook no specific consultations on this aspect of our proposals but we have had numerous meetings with interested bodies on the future of the services generally.
§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his press conference on Monday 28 November to announce his proposals to cease to provide National Health Service spectacle frames for people who wish to buy them was not open to health correspondents of newspapers.
§ Mr. FowlerFollowing my statement to the House on opticians and competiton, I spoke to a wide range of newspaper correspondents and gave interviews on both radio and television.