HC Deb 21 June 2004 vol 422 cc1274-5W
Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many residents in Manchester Central aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests; [179216]

(2) how many senior citizens in Manchester Central have access to free eye tests. [179217]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.

The total number of national health service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority in 2002–03 for patients in the aged 60 and over category was 189,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.