HC Deb 28 January 1991 vol 184 c429W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average charge for dental treatment, in cash and constant prices, in each year since 1979.

Mr. Dorrell

The table shows (in column 2) the average cash charges for dental treatment provided under general dental services in England in each financial year since 1979. The constant prices (in column 3) convert the cash prices to their 1989–90 equivalent.

Average dental charge paid by NHS patients paying the full proportion of the charge
(1) Financial year (2) Cash price £ (3) Constant price £
1979–80 6.83 13.69
1980–81 8.88 15.50
1981–82 10.33 15.96
1982–83 12.54 18.09
1983–84 13.62 18.78
1984–85 14.72 19.32
1985–86 16.67 20.75
1986–87 17.56 21.14
1987–88 18.43 20.04
1988–89 19.84 21.10
1989–90 25.02 25.02

Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the proportion of dental treatment costs met by charges to patients in each year since 1979.

Mr. Dorrell

The proportion of the cost of dental treatment, provided under general dental services in England in each year since 1979, met by charges to patients was as follows:

Calendar year Total cost Amount paid by Patients patient charge as a percentage of total cost
1979 303,684,708 63,393,432 20.87
1980 389,766,235 89,567,462 22.98
1981 454,565,184 110,809,324 24.38
1982 510,473,259 135,713,892 26.59
1983 553,051,518 154,084,986 27.86
1984 604,598,780 167,650,236 27.73
1985 634,860,271 189,747,707 29.89
1986 698,446,424 216,927,756 31.06
1987 772,798,504 233,924,375 30.27
1988 881,697,114 270,184,733 30.64
1989 930,070,732 361,931,301 38.91
1990 984,607,527 382,676,509 38.87