§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many prosecutions have been mounted by the general optical council for the unlawful sale of glasses without a prescription since the optical provisions of the Health and Social Services Act 1984 came into operation;
(2) how many prosecutions have been mounted in each year since 1979 by (a) the general optical council and (b) trading standards officers for the unlawful sale of spectacles to persons aged under 16 years by suppliers other than a registered ophthalmic and dispensing optician;
(3) how many prosecutions for the unlawful sale of glasses without a prescription have been mounted by trading standards officers since the optical provisions of the Health and Social Services Act 1984 came into operation;
(4) how many prosecutions are under consideration by the the general optical council for the unlawful sale of glasses without a prescription.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI am informed by the general optical council that it is unable to identify any prosecutions mounted since 1979 for the unlawful sale of spectacles to persons under the age of 16 years. Since the optical236W provisions of the Health and Social Security Act 1984 came into operation the general optical council has not instituted any prosecutions for supplying glasses without prescription. However, it has one possible case concerning the unlawful sale of glasses without prescription under consideration. I am informed by the Office of Fair Trading that it is unable to identify details of any such prosecutions mounted by trading standards officers.