asked the Minister of Education the number of school dentists in England and Wales at 31st March, 1954, or at any later date that may be available.

The equivalent of 960 full-time dentists were working in the school dental service in England and Wales on 30th June, 1954.

asked the Minister of Education how many dental practitioners are at present employed on a full-time basis for the school dental service in England and Wales, respectively.

I am not able to say how many full-time officers are employed exclusively on school dental work, but on 30th June, 1954, the equivalent of 903 full-time officers were employed by local education authorities in England and the equivalent of 57 by local education authorities in Wales. These figures are made up of 856 and 55 school dental officers, equivalent to 770 and 48 full-time officers, employed on a full-time or part-time salary basis, and a further 476 and 31 dentists, equivalent to 133 and nine full-time officers, employed part-time on a sessional basis.