asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that the general dental services provided for Scotland are brought up to the standard of those provided in the rest of the United Kingdom.

I do not accept that the standard of general dental services provided in Scotland is lower than in comparable parts of the rest of the United Kingdom. If the hon. Member has evidence to that effect perhaps he will let me have it.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the evidence lies in his hands now—that the Report which contains the evidence was presented to him in December of last year? When does he propose to make it available? Is he aware that if we take one dental service as an example, orthodontics, and allow for the disparity in the size of the populations, the amount spent on orthodontic treatment in Scotland in the last three years was £28,000 compared with over £1 million spent in England? Does not that show that a narrower approach is made to the service in Scotland than in England?

I do not think so. The hon. Gentleman asked about the standards of the general dental services. I think that they are comparable with the rest of the United Kingdom.