§ Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the prescription charges were on 5 May 1983 and the charges for dental treatment and glasses; and what were the comparable figures for 5 May 1979.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe information is as follows:
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1.Prescription Charges May 1979 May 1983 £ £ Prescription Charge 0.20 1.40 Pre-Payment Certificate Four monthly N/A 7.50 Six monthly 2.00 N/A Annual 3.50 2150 Elastic Stockings (Single) 0.50 1.60 Elastic Hosiery (excluding stockings) 025 1.40 Wigs and Fabric Supports Full bespoke human hair wig 7.50 49.00 Partial human hair wig 7.50 30.50 Stock modacrylic wig 2.50 1500 Abdominal and spinal support 2.00 11.00 Surgical brassiere 2.00 7.00
2. Dental Charges May 1979 May 1983 £ £ Maximum for routine treatment 5.00 13.50 Crown Inlays' pinlays, gold 10.00 50.00 others 10.00 26.00 Synthetic resin dentures 1–3 teeth 10.00 22.00 4–8 teeth 11.00 23.00 over 8 teeth 12.00 24.00 Maximum for more than one denture 20.00 38.00 Metal denture and bridges 1–3 teeth 15.00 40.00 4–8 teeth 16.00 42.00 over 8 teeth 17.00 44.00 Maximum for more than one denture 30.00 80.00 Overall maximum charge for any one course of treatment 30.00 95.00
3. Optical Charges a. Lenses May 1979 £ Description of Lens Single vision lens (including single vision lenticular, frosted and chavasse lenses) 2.90 Fused glass bifocal lens 5.50 Lens of any other description 615
Single Vision Glass Lenses (Curved or Flat,—May 1983* (1) (2) (3) (4) Spherical Power (plus or minus) Spherical Cylindrical or Sphero-cylindrical Cylindrical Power (plus or minus) 0.25 to 2.00 2.25 or more £ £ £ Piano to 2.00 4.00 4.45 5.65 2.25 to 4.00 4.15 4.65 6.10 4.25 to 6.00 4.35 5.25 6.55 6.25 or more 7.00 8.05 8.95 * This table is not directly comparable with the one for 1979 because of the restructuring of charges in the intervening period.
Solid glass bifocal lenses (1) (2) (3) Segment size Spherical Astigmatic £ £ 38mm 11.65 12.70 45mm 14.05 15.10 22mm 15.50 15.50 506W
Other lenses (1) (2) Description of lens Amount of charge £ Single vision Plastic, lenticular, frosted or chavasse lens 4.65 Fused glass spherical bifocal lens 9.60 Fused glass astigmatic bifocal lens 10.30 Lens of any other description 9.20
Additional charges in respect of prisms or tints clinically necessary (1) (2) (3) Description of lens Incorporation of worked prism Incorporation of tint £ £ Single vision lens up to 6.00 spherical or 4.00 cylindrical 2.80 2.40 Over 6.00 spherical or 4.00 cylindrical 1.70 2.40 Bifocal lens 1.20 4.80
3.Optical Charges—b. Frames May 1979 May 1983 £ £ Plain Gold Filled Pad bridge; curl sides centre or high joint 4.50 12.00 Pad bridge; cellulose acetate tipped hockey end sides, centre or high joint 4.28 10.95 Half-eye, flat section eyewire, pad bridge; curl sides 4.50 10.05 Half-eye, flat section eyewire, pad bridge; celluslose acetate tipped hockey end sides 4.50 9.0 Gold Filled Windsor (Cellulose Acetate Trim) Centre or High Joint Pad bridge; curl sides 4.50 12.40 Pad bridge; cellulose acetate tipped hockey end sides 4.28 11.40 Pad bridge; half covered curl sides 4.50 13.05 Plastics (Cellulose Acetate) Pad bridge; reinforced hockey end sides 1.57 2.05 Pad bridge; gold filled super comfort curl sides and reinforced cellulose acetate butts 2.59 3.28 Saddle, flush or inset bridge; reinforced hockey end sides 7.50 8.19 Saddle, flush or inset bridge, gold filled super comfort curl sides and reinforced cellulose acetate butts 8.10 9.01 Half-eye regular bridge; reinforced hockey end sides 6.50 7.10 Half-eye, pad bridge; reinforced hockey end sides 2.87 3.47