§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sight tests were carried out in each of the last five years.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe numbers of national health service sight tests paid for in the last five financial years for which figures are available in England are shown An the table. Information for 1993–94 is not yet available.
590W
Number of NHS sight tests1 paid for by financial year England Year Number 21989–90 5,279,750 21990–91 4,153,660 1991–92 4,979,420 1992–93 5,527,590 1 The number of private sight tests is not collected. 2 From 1 April 1989, NHS sight tests were restricted to certain eligible groups in the population. The figures for 1989–90 included 1.82 million sight tests paid for in 1989–90 but conducted in 1988–89 under the previous scheme. The remaining 4.22 million were conducted and paid for in 1989–90 which do not constitute a full 12 months of the new scheme. The figures for 1990–91 which do represent 12 months under the new scheme are not therefore directly comparable with those for 1989–90.