HC Deb 17 January 1994 vol 235 c386W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many optician registered premises there were in each of the last five years.

Dr. Mawhinney

The number of ophthalmic opticians premises1 for the five most recent years for which figures are available is as follows:

at 31 December
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
England
Ophthalmic opticians premises2 4,970 4,944 4,887 4,944 4,927
Other3 — — 735 734 832
Total — — 5,622 5,678 5,759
Wales
Ophthalmic opticians premises 349 345 330 353 358
Other — — 56 51 47
Total — — 386 404 405
1 Between 1986 and 1989, data were not collected on those premises not classified as 'Ophthalmic Opticians' premises. In 1990, information on all premises was collected. As a result, it became apparent that some family health services authorities were wrongly classifying some premises as 'Ophthalmic Opticians'. These figures should therefore be used with care.
2Premises where the owner or manager is registered with the General Optical Council as an ophthalmic optician.
3 Premises where the owner or manager is not registered with the General Optical Council as an ophthalmic optician.