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Written Answers
HOUSE OF COMMONS
hold some promise that the very high costs will be reduced, perhaps through the production of valuable chemical by- products, they do not yet justify plans for operation on a commercial scale in this country.
Export Prices
Mr. Platts-Mills asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what requests have been received, formally or informally, from the Marshall Plan administration, for a reduc- tion in the export price of British coal.
Mr. Gaitskell: Representations have been received from the Economic Co- operation Administration about the ex- port prices of United Kingdom coal in relation to those of bizone coal. I have asked the National Coal Board to con- sider these representations. In the mean- time, I am advised by the Board that in general their export prices are in line with world prices.
POLICE, LONDON (TRAFFIC CONTROL DUTY)
13. Sir T. Moore asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been released for other duties in the Metropolitan area as a result of the introduction of mechanical traffic signals.
Mr. Ede: Seven hundred and ten.
LICENSING LAWS (NIGHT CLUBS)
14. Mr. W. Shepherd asked the Secre- tary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the necessity of attracting the maximum number of tourists, he will consider a revision of the licensing laws
Written Answers
70:
Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, to places registered for experiments on living animals during the year 1947; and why only 439 out of 459 of the places on the register were visited during the year.
Mr. Ede: The inspectors paid 880 visits during 1947, including some visits to places applying for registration. The 20 places not visited were ones where so little work was in progress that the inspectors' time was better used else-
where.
CARLISLE STATE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
Mr. Chetwynd asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pro- prietary brands of beer are available in licensed premises under State manage-
ment.
Mr. Ede: The draught beer sold in the State managed houses in the Carlisle district is that manufactured at the Car- lisle State brewery, but in one public house draught Bass is still supplied. In addition to the bottled beer made at that brewery there are on sale the products of Messrs. Bass, Worthington and Guinness and some small quantity of lager beer. Other proprietary brands would be provided if the demand justified it.
NATIONAL HEALTH
SERVICE
New Dentures and Repairs
26. Sir T. Moore asked the Minister of Health what proportion of the sum of £4,750,000 paid or owing to dentists for work completed under the National Health Service up to 30th October was in respect of new dentures; whether he that will permit the licensing of night supplied are necessary; and if he will is satisfied that all the new dentures being
clubs.
Mr. Ede: This is a matter which will come up for discussion during the passage of the Licensing Bill through Parliament, and I think it would be desirable not to anticipate that discussion.
ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS
Mr. Viant asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits were paid by inspectors under the
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consider the possibility of cutting down expenditure on new dentures by the pro- vision of speedier and more effective facilities for repairs.
Mr. Bevan: On the basis of a sample check about 40 per cent. The Dental Estimates Board satisfy themselves as to the necessity for a denture before ap- proving the estimate. I have no evi- dence that the present arrangements for repairs are ineffective having regard to the volume of the demand.
Written Answers
Dentists' Fees
9 DECEMBER 1948
27. Sir T. Moore asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the large sums which are being expended on free dentures, he will revise the scale of fees paid to dentists so as to weigh the balance more in favour of conservative dentistry.
Mr. Bevan: While the present scale of fees must be reviewed with the dentists, in other respects it is already certainly heavily weighted in favour of conservative work.
85. Mr. McGhee asked the Minister of Health what alterations he proposes to make in the remuneration of dentists under the National Health Service.
Mr. Bevan: With the dental Associa- tions I am undertaking a full review of our present translation of the Spens Com- mittee into fees for services. Meanwhile, as it is obvious that some dentists are earning far more than that Committee ever contemplated, I am adopting a tem- porary arrangement whereby fees are reduced by half after a dentist reaches an income of £4,800 gross--or £1,000 in excess of the point at which the Spens Committee said the risk of bad dentistry began. Doctors already have a limit, in the number of patients allowed on their lists.
Hearing Aids
66. Mr. Bartlett asked the Minister of Health whether he will now allow deaf people to have hearing aids that are not of the standard type providing they are prepared themselves to pay the extra cost, and will thus extend to them the prin- ciple already extended to others in the cases of eyeglasses and dentures.
Mr. Bevan: No. I see no justification for doing so.
79. Mr. J. Lewis asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that people in Bolton who have been examined by an aural surgeon at the Bolton Royal Infirmary Out Patients Department, and whose suitability for hearing aid appli- ances have been determined, are still with- out the instrument owing to the shortage of supply; and if he will make a state- ment on the availability of these appliances in this area.
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Written Answers
72
Mr. Bevan: Distribution centres for hearing aids have been operating in Man- chester and Preston since 1st November and are being supplied with aids at the rate of 100 per month.
Health Centres
41. Dr. Comyns asked the Minister of Health how many applications for per- mission to build health centres have been received from local authorities; how many such schemes in the London area have been approved as new structures and as adaptations of existing buildings, respectively; and whether he is satisfied that sufficient such centres are being constructed.
Mr. Bevan: I have proposals for two quite new centres and have approved one, in London. Discussions are going on in about 20 other cases. So far there have been no adaptations of old build- ings approved. There are, however, a number of existing dental or medical clinics which have been maintained under the new Act. I am certainly not satis- fied, but progress is governed by the building situation.
Specialists (Visiting Schedules)
71. Mr. Joynson-Hicks asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that medical specialists are, under the operation of the National Health Scheme, limited to making a total of 25 visits per quarter in a given area upon patients; and what arrangements there are for the treatment of the patients in that area when the specialist has fulfilled his schedule.
Mr. Bevan: There is no limit on visits. Remuneration has a provisional ceiling for each quarter while longer-term arrangements--which will date back--- are being worked out. The situation in the last part of the Question can be con- sidered if and when it arises.
Hospitals, Newcastle (Capital Expenditure)
74. Mr. Chetwynd asked the Minister of Health what allocations for capital expenditure for 1949-50 have been made to the Newcastle Regional Hospital
Board.
Mr. Bevan: None. It is under con- sideration.