The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2002

Citation, commencement, interpretation and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) and (General Ophthalmic Services) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2002.

(2) These Regulations shall come into force on—

(a) except for regulations 2 and 5, on 1st April 2002; and

(b) regulations 2 and 5 on 9th April 2002.

(3) In these Regulations unless the context otherwise requires—

• “the 1997 Regulations” (“Rheoliadau 1997”) means the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997(1);

• “the 1986 Regulations” (“Rheoliadau 1986”) means the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) Regulations 1986(2).

(4) These Regulations apply to Wales only.

Amendment of regulation 8 of the 1997 Regulations

2.  In regulation 8 of the 1997 Regulations (eligibility — supply of optical appliances), in paragraphs (3)(c) (receipt of working families' tax credit) and (g) (disabled person’s tax credit), for “£71” substitute “£72.20”.

Amendment of regulation 19 of the 1997 Regulations

3.  In regulation 19 of the 1997 Regulations (redemption value of voucher for replacement or repair)—

(a) in paragraph (1)(b), for “£43.90” substitute “£44.60”; and

(b) in paragraph (3), for “£11.30” substitute “£11.50”.

Amendment of the Schedules to the 1997 Regulations

4.—(1) In Schedule 1 to the 1997 Regulations (voucher letter codes and face values — supply and replacement) in column (3) (face value of voucher), for each amount specified in column 1 of the table below substitute the amount specified in relation to it in column 2 of that table.

TABLE

(1)	(2)
Old amount	New amount
£30.00	£30.50
£45.60	£46.40
£62.10	£63.20
£140.30	£142.70
£51.80	£52.70
£65.90	£67.00
£79.60	£81.00
£154.30 (in both places where it appears)	£157.00
£43.90	£44.60

(2) In Schedule 2 to the 1997 Regulations (prisms, tints, photochromic lenses, small and special glasses and complex appliances)—

(a) in paragraph 1(1)(a) (prism — single vision lens), for “£6.30” substitute “£9.90”;

(b) in paragraph 1(1)(b) (prism — other lens), for “£7.20” substitute “£11.90”;

(c) in paragraph 1(1)(c) (single vision tinted lens), for “£3.20” substitute “£3.30”;

(d) in paragraph 1(1)(d) (other tinted lens), for “£3.70” substitute “£3.80”;

(e) in paragraph 1(1)(e) (small glasses), for “£49.40” , “£43.90”, and “£23.80” substitute “£50.20”, “44.60”, and “£24.20” respectively;

(f) in paragraph 1(1)(g) (specially manufactured frames) for “£49.40” substitute “£50.20”;

(g) in paragraph 2(a) (minimum complex appliance payment — single vision lenses), for “£10.50” substitute “£10.70”.

(h) in paragraph 2(b) (minimum complex appliance payment — other lenses), for “£26.50” substitute “£27.00”.

(3) For Schedule 3 to the 1997 Regulations (voucher values — repair), substitute the Schedule 3 set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Amendment of regulation 13 of the 1986 Regulations

5.  In regulation 13 of the 1986 Regulations (Sight Tests — eligibility), in paragraphs (2)(c) (receipt of working families' tax credit) and (2)(g) (receipt of disabled person’s tax credit), for “£71” substitute “£72.20”.

Use of these Regulations

6.  The amendments made by regulations 3 and 4 of these Regulations apply only in relation to a voucher accepted or used pursuant to regulations 12 or 17 of the 1997 Regulations on or after 1st April 2002.

Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998(3)

Rhodri Morgan

Assembly First Minister

28th March 2002