Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the long-term impact of dental activity targets on availability of NHS dentistry services in England.

The purpose of the activity thresholds was to support the provision of income protection for providers of National Health Service dentistry, reflecting the ability to provide less activity during the pandemic due to maintaining compliance with infection prevention and control measures. The income protection provided by the Government has supported dental practices in continuing to provide services and has ensured the NHS retains its ability to provide dental care in the long term.