§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the change in full-time equivalents in post in the dental workforce as a result of early retirement was in each year since 1990. [147501]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe available information shown in the table from the NHS Pensions Agency is for the number of pensions awarded where a national health service pension has been claimed prior to the scheme's normal retirement age. These will include pensions paid on the grounds of ill health, premature retirements following redundancy and voluntary early retirement before age 60 (introduced from 6 March 1995). Since 1997, the number of dentists working in the NHS general dental service (GDS) in England has increased from 16,728 to 18,500, but dentists can vary the amount of dental work they do and the proportion carried out in the GDS.
Early retirement of dentists Total dentist pension awards 1997 197 1998 179 1999 161 2000 152 2001 191 2002 173 2003 170