HL Deb 01 May 1985 vol 463 cc337-8WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why Family Practitioner Committees may hold personal data about the husbands of women receiving dental treatment, but not about the wives of men receiving dental treatment.

Baroness Trumpington

The form which patients send to local offices of our department to claim a refund of dental charges on low income grounds, and which is passed to Family Practitioner Committees for them to make payment, asks for the name and age of a married woman's husband. This information is needed to facilitate the processing of the claim by the local office.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why Family Practitioner Committees, which may hold personal data relating to the marital status of women, do not hold it relating to men.

Baroness Trumpington

Family Practitioner Committees (FPCs) do not specifically seek information about the marital status of women. Various FPC forms ask for title, former or maiden names for the purposes of determining a person's preferred mode of address, and for the correct identification of previous records.