NHS Dentistry and Primary Health Care — 29 Jun 2005 at 15:38

This division occurred at the end of a Liberal Democrat opposition day debate, allocated under Standing Order 14. The Liberal Democrats proposed the motion:

This House notes with concern the crisis in NHS dentistry, together with problems in accessing other primary care services; recognises that many dentists chose to undertake more private practice as a consequence of the new contract introduced under the Conservatives in 1990 and the subsequent reduction in dentists' fees in 1992; notes that the Conservative government closed two dental schools; further notes that the number of adults registered with an NHS dentist fell by five million between 1994 and 1998; recalls the Prime Minister's pledge in 1999 that 'everyone within the next two years will be able once again to see an NHS dentist just by phoning NHS Direct', but notes that less than half the adult population is now registered with an NHS dentist; and calls on the Government to work with the dentistry profession to ensure that the new contract delivers more dentists spending more time working in the NHS.

The Government front bench proposed a new motion:

This House welcomes the Government's record levels of investment in the National Health Service, with expenditure set to rise to over £92 billion in 2007-08; congratulates the Government and NHS staff for improvements in primary care; notes that the Government's ambitions for NHS dentistry will deliver a modernised, high quality primary dental service; congratulates the Government on supporting this with a record level of investment, which has been increased by 19 per cent., or £250 million a year, over 2003-04 levels; further welcomes the increase in NHS primary care dentists from 16,700 in 1997 to 20,192 in April, the creation of 53 dental access centres across England treating some 400,000 patients a year and an NHS support team to improve access to dentistry in areas where there are problems, and the introduction of additional capital grants of £35 million to fund practice improvements; and further congratulates the Government for this investment and programme of reform that has delivered a better quality of life for staff, and improved services for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, true to the founding principles of the NHS.

The issue in this division was whether the original words proposed by the Liberal Democrats should remain. Those voting No said they should not and, according to Standing Order 31 (amendment moved by a Minister leaving out all the effective words), the new motion was agreed automatically without a further division, whether or not all those who voted actually agreed with it.

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