§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the last 10 years the total cost of the national dental service and the income from charges.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe total cost of treatment provided through the general dental services in England and the income from charges are as follows:
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£ million Financial year Total cost Income from charges 1972–73 111.8 24.1 1973–74 123.6 27.4 1974–75 153.0 30.5 1975–76 200.8 31.9 1976–77 221.2 39.3
Financial year Total cost Income from charges 1977–78 229.9 51.2 1978–79 279.1 55.4 1979–80 336.4 69.6 1980–81 419.1 92.4 1981–82 481.1 115.1 The additional costs of both the dental treatment provided by the hospital and community health services and of the administration costs of the genera] dental services are wholly excluded as they cannot be separately identified in full.
§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the last 10 years the cost of providing free dental services to those exempted from charges.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe cost of NHS dental treatment provided in England to those patients exempt from charges was as follows:
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England Year Gross cost of estimates for patients exempt from charges (£ million)*† 1973 42.2 1974 50.4 1975 62.5 1976 67.4 1977 70.5 1978 86.6
Year Gross cost of estimates for patients exempt from charges (£ million)*† 1979 97.4 1980 119.6 1981 ‡123.9 * This information is not available prior to 1973. † Excludes cases where charges were remitted on low income grounds. ‡ The categories of patient exempt from charges were changed in April 1981.