§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by his Department, broken down by leases by the Department itself, its next step, agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies. [7815]
§ Ms BlearsThe table lists the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years (1996–97 through to 2000–01) by the Department. They include and distinguish between the Department, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between acquisitions made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those acquisitions made by established bodies.
(2) what recent guidance has been given to (a) regional dental boards and (b) dentists regarding dental treatment for asylum seekers. [10949]
§ Ms BlearsThe Department issued letters, in February 2000, to all local authorities and health authorities 281W detailing the current position on prescription charges and national health service dental treatment for asylum seekers in February 2000. This explained that any asylum seeker who did not fall into one of the groups entitled to free dental treatment, for example those who are pregnant or aged under 18 (under 19 years if in full time education) would need to complete an HC1 claim form in order to receive a NHS charges certificate (HC2), but that arrangements were under review. From 1 April 2001 the national asylum support service would issue HC2 certificates on behalf of the Department to all the asylum seekers it supports. These arrangements are now in place, and HC2 certificates are issued where appropriate, along with the first support voucher This has removed the need for separate HC1 claims.
Under current arrangements, health authorities are responsible for the dissemination of this information to dental practitioners.
Essentially, dentists can treat asylum seekers in exactly the same way as all other patients, judging their need to pay charges using the usual criteria.