ARF increase raised in Parliament

ARF increase raised in Parliament

Two MPs have asked questions on the proposed ARF increase. The replies from health minister, Dr Daniel Poulter, were similar. He said that, although the GDC was an independent body, the Government would not expect registration fees to increase beyond their current levels, ‘unless there is a clear and robust business case that any increase is essential to ensure the exercise of statutory duties’.

Toby Perkins, Labour MP for Chesterfield, asked:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of plans by the General Dental Council to increase the Annual Retention Fee by 64 per cent on the ability of the NHS to attract new dentists from all sectors of society.

Dave Anderson Labour MP for Blaydon asked:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for the NHS of the decision by the General Dental Council to raise their compulsory statutory annual retention fee from £576 per annum to £945 per annum.

They received a similar response from Dr Daniel Poulter, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Services:

No assessment has been made of the effect on the ability of the National Health Service to attract new dentists as a result of the GDC proposal to increase the annual retention fee.

The GDC is an independent body and it is therefore for the GDC to determine the level of the annual fee it charges for registration. The proposed fee increase is subject to public consultation where the GDC's case will be scrutinised. The Department does not usually contribute to such consultations but all professional regulators, including the GDC, are aware of the Department's position on registration fees. In February 2011, the Government published ‘Enabling Excellence’, which states that we would not expect registration fees to increase beyond their current levels, unless there is a clear and robust business case that any increase is essential to ensure the exercise of statutory duties.



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