To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of children under five with tooth decay in England in each year between 1997 and 2005. (136389)

[holding answer 8 May 2007]: The only comparative information available is from reports of the decennial Child Dental Health Surveys, which showed a decline in the percentage of children aged five with obvious dental decay from 43 per cent. in 1993 to 41 per cent. in 2003 England.