Written question asked by Tony Lloyd (Labour) on Monday, 14 June 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 June 2004. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Monday, 21 June 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residents in Manchester Central aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests; how many senior citizens in Manchester Central have access to free eye tests. - Inc figures and fact that info is not collected centrally.

Answer: Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many residents in Manchester Central aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests; [179216] (2) how many senior citizens in Manchester Central have access to free eye tests. [179217] Miss Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally. The total number of national health service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority in 2002-03 for patients in the aged 60 and over category was 189,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 422 c1274-5W; 179216;179217
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Fees and charges Exemptions Eyesight Greater Manchester Pensioners Older people Testing
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk