Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support dental laboratories affected by rising energy costs in Devon.

We recognise the importance of dental laboratories and the role they play in support of National Health Service dental services.

The NHS contracts independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment. Providers are able to make choices about how they operate within the terms of the contract, including choice over the dental laboratory suppliers they use, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations.

The independent pay review body for doctors and dentists recommended a 6% pay uplift for 2024/25. The Government accepted the recommendation and has proposed that NHS primary care dentistry contract values be uplifted by 4.64%, net of pay and expenses elements. Laboratory costs are part of the expenses element of this uplift. The Government is acting to implement the overall uplift to contract values as soon as possible.