Dentistry
1:11 pm
Rosie Winterton (Minister of State (Health Services), Department of Health; Doncaster Central, Labour)
Yes, I will. The way in which the budgets have been given out is quite complicated, but I will try to explain it. During the reference period that I mentioned, an overall measurement was taken of the activity in a particular area. It is possible that, during that time, certain dentists might have worked for only half the year, because they had started up half-way through the reference period. Others might have closed during the period. The calculation took into account the balance between those that had opened and those that had closed, so that a dental practice that had opened half-way through the year would be able to use the money that had become available from one that had closed. So that would have added up. If, however, it did not add up in that way, extra money would be allocated, but it would not be able to meet every local circumstance. The instance that the hon. Gentleman has cited involves a dental practice expanding after the reference period. We had to have a cut-off point—[Hon. Members: "Why?"] Otherwise, it would not have been fair in terms of allocating the funds. The PCTs wanted to know the size of their budgets. We had that reference period so that we could make that calculation. On top of that I should say that £65 million has gone out to PCTs to ensure that there can be expansion. That is the difficulty that the hon. Gentleman might be facing. However, I should also say in relation to