Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2014, Official Report, on the General Dental Council, if (a) his Department and (b) the Professional Standards Authority For Health and Social Care will publish its review of the business case for the increase in years charged by the General Dental Council; and if similar reviews will be published of the Care Quality Commission increase in fees to dental professionals.

The business case referred to in the answer given on 2 August 2014 is the General Dental Council’s (GDC) consultation document setting out the GDC’s rationale for the proposed fee rise. The consultation closed on 4 September 2014 and the document is available at:

www.gdc-uk.org/GDCcalendar/Consultations/Pages/Consultation-on-the-Annual-Retention-Fee-(ARF)-Level-for-2015.aspx

The GDC is an independent body and therefore neither the Department nor The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care as a formal role in reviewing the GDC’s case. However, in my role as Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health, on 3 September 2014 I met with the GDC where this issue was discussed.

Each year the Care Quality Commission (CQC) consults on its proposed fee structure for the following year. The CQC intends to publish a consultation on its proposed fee structure for 2015-16 and draft impact assessment in the next month. The final impact assessment will be published in 2015. These documents will be available on the CQC’s website. Following consultation, the CQC will present its proposals to my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.