§ Mr. HannamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the cost of abolishing charges for sight tests for persons aged over 60 years both gross and net of the cost of administering collection of charges for national health service sight tests and the cost of administering the low income scheme.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe gross cost of abolishing sight test fees for all people over 60 would be in the order of £25 million. This is calculated using the current general ophthalmic service sight test fee. There is no centrally held information on the cost of administering the sight test element of the low income scheme or on NHS sight tests.