Oral Question·Department of Health and Social Care
“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”
Tabled: 19 December 2024Answered: 7 January 2025
Asked by
Richard Quigley
Labour — Isle of Wight West
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Answer from Hansard
Stephen Kinnock
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to describe the Isle of Wight as a dental desert. That is perhaps one of the reasons why the good people of that island elected a Labour Member for the first time in history. Our ambition is to make sure that everyone who needs a dentist can get one. Sadly, 28% of adults in England—13 million people—have an unmet need for NHS dentistry. I would be glad to meet my hon. Friend to learn more about how the experience of the Isle of Wight can improve services nationally.