§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of persons eligible for exemption from prescription charges on low income grounds in 1981 and 1983, the number of persons entitled to full remission of dental and optical charges on low income grounds in 1981 and 1983 and the percentage of those entitled in each category who claimed exemption or remission.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThis information is not available. Eligibility for exemption and remission on low income grounds, as distinct from automatic exemption and remission, is determined only when claimed and is dependent on the claimant's financial circumstances at that time. The number of persons who received full remission of dental charges on low income grounds was 94,000 in 1981 and 162,000 in 1983. Corresponding figures cannot be separated out from the total number of exemption and remissions for prescription and optical charges. The totals were:—
(England only) 1981 1983 Number of prescription items for which exemption was given 205,000,000 227,000,000 Number of optical dispensings for which charges were remitted in full or in part 815,000 1,121,000