To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) eye tests and (b) dental examinations took place in the Nottingham health authority in each year since 1979.
I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the eye tests which are carried out under the general ophthalmic service and the dental examinations carried out under the general dental service. These are the responsibility of the family practitioner committee. The following table gives the relevant available figures for Nottinghamshire family practitioner committee which includes the area covered by Nottingham health authority.
| Nottinghamshire FPC | ||
| Year | Number of eye tests1 | Number of dental examinations |
| 1979 | .. | 500,900 |
| 1980 | .. | 538,660 |
| 1981 | .. | 570,690 |
Year
| Number of eye tests 1
| Number of dental examinations
|
| 1982 | .. | 591,490 |
| 1983 | 180,578 | 591,810 |
| 1984 | 195,150 | 618,580 |
| 1985 | 199,724 | 635,560 |
| 1986 | 206,524 | 2652,660 |
| 1987 | 221,955 | .. |
1 Information is not readily available on eye tests before 1983. | ||
2 The Dental Estimates Board altered its presentation of statistics from a calendar year to financial year as from 1986–87 and this figure relates to the financial year. | ||
| ..= Not available. | ||