§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many eye tests were carried out on people aged over 65 years since April 1999(a) in Coventry South and (b) nationally. [136692]
§ Mr. HuttonWe extended eligibility for National Health Service sight tests to everyone aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. In England and Wales, 10,030,000 sight tests were paid for by health authorities in the year ending 31 March 2000. This was 34 per cent. more than the total for the year ending 31 March 1999 (7,469,000). Figures for the numbers of people aged 60 and over who have received free eye tests in particular areas are not collected centrally. However, the increase in the total number of sight tests paid for by Coventry health authority in the year ending 31 March 2000 was 73W 14,360. The increase in the total number of sight tests paid for by all health authorities in England in the year ending 31 March 2000 was 2,407,080. It is fair to assume that the majority of these increases was due to newly eligible people aged 60 or over obtaining NHS sight tests.