Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending entitlement to discounted (a) prescriptions, (b) eye tests and (c) dental treatment to (i) apprentices earning the apprentice rate of the minimum wage and (ii) all other apprentices.

The Department has extensive arrangements in place to help people access prescriptions, eye sight tests and dental treatment. This includes a broad range of National Health Service charge exemptions for certain medical conditions and related to age or entitlement to certain social security benefits. The Department has no current plans to amend these exemptions.

Apprentices on a low income, who do not qualify for an exemption, may be eligible for full or partial help with prescription charges, dental treatment charges and the cost of sight tests, glasses and contact lenses through application to the NHS Low Income Scheme.

On prescription charges, to support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the low-income scheme, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.