§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the average earnings of National Health Service dentists in general practice; and what proportion of these earnings is left after staff costs, running cost of premises, rent, heat, and so on, have been deducted.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkePrincipals working in the general dental service earned an average of £43,200 from that source in 1983–84. Information is not yet available on the average practice expenses incurred during that year. However, the dental rates study group's estimate of this figure was £26,100 and on this basis, net earnings would represent about 40 per cent. of gross earnings. These figures exclude some GDS dentists who did not work for the whole year and a small number in other groups.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to investigate more thoroughly claims and expenses submitted by dentists employed by the National Health Service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe recently published report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the general dental service indicated that known fraud and irregularity were insignificant in relation to overall expenditure and that there seemed to be no reason to assume that undiscovered fraud existed to any significant extent. The report also indicated that the Dental Estimates Board's authorisation and payment arrangements had shown generally satisfactory results but that there were a number of problem areas. Substantial progress has already been made in dealing with many of these including initial arrangements for the purchase of a new computer for the Board.
Dentists do not submit claims for expenses to the board since these are reimbursed on an average basis through the fee scale.