13 May 2009
Mike Penning calls for a Parliamentary debate on the crisis in NHS dentistry.
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): May we have a debate on the crisis in NHS dentistry? Some 1.2 million people, according to Government figures, do not have access to a dentist. The Government have accepted that there is a problem, which is why they are holding an inquiry, but could we have a debate on the matter to find out why not one single Minister in the Department of Health, including the Secretary of State, has visited a dentistry in the past 12 months? How can they know what is going on in the front line of dentistry if they have never visited a surgery?
Ms Harman: One reason why we have determined to protect the health budget is that we know that although progress has been made, there is still more to do. That is why there will be an extra 5.5 per cent. in the health service budget this year, some of which will be available for continued improvements in dentistry. The policy of the hon. Gentleman’s party’s would be to make cuts and to say, “We can’t afford this because of the recession.” I cannot believe that no Minister has visited a dental surgery other than in a personal capacity— [ Interruption. ] The hon. Gentleman is holding up a parliamentary answer, which may be conclusive, in which case I will say no more.
| Hansard
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): May we have a debate on the crisis in NHS dentistry? Some 1.2 million people, according to Government figures, do not have access to a dentist. The Government have accepted that there is a problem, which is why they are holding an inquiry, but could we have a debate on the matter to find out why not one single Minister in the Department of Health, including the Secretary of State, has visited a dentistry in the past 12 months? How can they know what is going on in the front line of dentistry if they have never visited a surgery?
Ms Harman: One reason why we have determined to protect the health budget is that we know that although progress has been made, there is still more to do. That is why there will be an extra 5.5 per cent. in the health service budget this year, some of which will be available for continued improvements in dentistry. The policy of the hon. Gentleman’s party’s would be to make cuts and to say, “We can’t afford this because of the recession.” I cannot believe that no Minister has visited a dental surgery other than in a personal capacity— [ Interruption. ] The hon. Gentleman is holding up a parliamentary answer, which may be conclusive, in which case I will say no more.
| Hansard
