Written question asked by Adrian Flook (Conservative) on Monday, 3 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 November 2003. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 November 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists offered NHS treatment in (a) Taunton and (b) Somerset in each year since 1997. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists offered NHS treatment in (a) Taunton and (b) Somerset in each year since 1997. [136899] Ms Rosie Winterton: Information is available for the Somerset Health Authority area for the years 1997 to 2001 and is shown in the following table. For the years 2002 and 2003, information is given in the table for Taunton Dean Primary Care Trust (PCT) area and for four Somerset PCTs. General Dental Service: Number of Dentists in Somerset 1997 to 2003 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Primary Care Trust/ Date Number of dentists Health Authority Somerset PCTs1 30 June 2003 233 Somerset PCTs1 30 September 2002 227 Somerset HA 30 September each year 2001 176 2000 181 1999 165 1998 163 1997 163 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Taunton Deane PCT, Somerset Coast PCT, South Somerset PCT and Mendip PCT

Secondary information