§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that information regarding free and low-price children's spectacle frames is made more generally available.
(2) if opticians selling spectacles are under any form of obligation to (a) stock and (b) display free and low-price children's frames.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe sale of spectacles, including children's spectacles, is a private transaction and as a result no requirement is placed on opticians to stock, display or promote information on any particular brand of spectacle frame. In line with normal retail practice it is up to individual opticians to use their commercial judgment and provide a sufficiently wide range of products to meet all needs. Equally, individual patients can shop around for spectacles at the most competitive price which matches their optical prescription. All children under 16 are entitled to an optical voucher to help towards the cost of their spectacles. The voucher value varies depending upon the strength of the optical prescription.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department monitors what proportion of the cost of 629W children's spectacle frames goes towards meeting the copyright dues for commercial logos which are featured on them.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo. The sale of spectacles, including children's spectacles, is a private commercial transaction. The Department of Health does not therefore collect this type of information. All children under 16 are entitled to an optical voucher to help towards the cost of their spectacles. The voucher value varies depending upon the strength of the optical prescription.