HC Deb 21 January 1997 vol 288 cc582-3W
18. Mr. Rendel

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental check-ups were carried out in Berkshire in the last year for which figures are available. [10373]

Mr. Malone

During 1995–96, payments for almost 233,000 dental examinations for adults were scheduled in the Berkshire family health services authority.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 166, on categories of treatment relating to dentists' pay (1) what assessment he has made of the breakdown of the (a) adult item of service percentage in the case of the highest earning national health service dentist in 1995–96 and (b) the child item of service percentage in the case of the previous years; and if he will make a statement; [12102]

(2) for what reasons the gross fee earnings for 1991–92 and 1994–95 indicate no amounts for capitation. [12103]

Mr. Malone

The dentist in 1995–96 is a general dental practitioner who has registered patients and receives fees for item of service treatment and registration fees. The dentist in the previous years is a general dental practitioner providing, in the main, orthodontic treatment for patients who have been referred by other general dental practitioners with whom they are registered and who receive capitation payments for them.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the hon. Member for Pendle's question of 12 December 1996 on national health service dentists' earnings by decile. [12104]

Mr. Malone

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 January 1996.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 220, how many dental (a) assistants and (b) nurses were employed by the highest paid national health service dentists in each year between 1991–92 and 1995–96. [12106]

Mr. Malone

Information on the number of dental nurses employed by individual dentists is not available. The information available on the number of dental assistants' is in the table.

Number of assistants1 employed during the financial year
Dental assistants1
1991–92 3
1992–93 3
1993–94 3
1994–95 3
1995–96 6
1 Assistants are fully qualified dentists, who do not have their own health authority contract number but work on that of a principal.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 220, what were the number of dental practices listed for the highest earning national health service dentists in each year between 1991–92 and 1995–96. [12105]

Mr. Malone

To give this information would be in breach of the open government code of practice, which exempts information which could facilitate an unwarranted invasion of privacy.

30. Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current proposals he has to increase the number of dentists practising in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [10385]

Mr. Malone

As announced in the recent White Paper, "Primary Care: Delivering The Future", the Government will make available to health authorities in England funds for selected schemes to improve the availability of general dental services in certain areas.

Priority will be given to those schemes most likely to have a direct and lasting impact on the availability of national health service dentistry and which offer best value for money.