§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many relatives of glaucoma sufferers in England received free eyesight tests in each quarter of 1988–89 and in each quarter of 1989–90.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyStatistics prior to 1April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-monthly basis. A total of 65,050 national health service sight tests for relatives of glaucoma sufferers were paid for in England during the period 1 April to 30 September 1989. This figure is based on a 2 per cent. sample of NHS sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. It does not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April but conducted before that period.