An "absurd rule" which governs the setting up of dental practices is to be axed after Shipley MP Philip Davies raised the issue in Parliament.

An anomaly was highlighted last September when Shipley businessman Jan Bostock announced plans to set up an NHS practice in the town's Lambert House using three Polish dentists.

His plans were blocked by a rule which said people who were not qualified dentists were not allowed to set up a dental practice, even if they planned to pay qualified dentists to carry out the work.

Mr Bostock, the director of health business Reach 2000, spent months fighting the red tape in his bid to ease Shipley's growing need for NHS dentistry.

His battle prompted Mr Davies to take up the issue by writing to the Government and, during a debate in Parliament, he was assured the rule would change in April this year.

During the debate Mr Davies said: "Mr Bostock wants to set up an NHS dental practice and import dentists from other countries to run it, yet is unable to do so because he is not a dentist.

"He does not want to put his equipment into people's mouths - he is happy to employ experts to do that - but he is prevented from setting up the practice because he is not a dentist. Surely that anomaly should be addressed immediately.

"I have written to the Government about the issue, which provides a perfect example of what could be done quickly

to help to resolve the crisis in NHS

dentistry."

Kettering MP Philip Hollobone (Con) backed Mr Davies, saying he had experienced an identical case in his constituency.

After the debate, Mr Davies said: "Liam Byrne (the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health) confirmed that from April this year people will be able to set up a dental practice even if are not a qualified dentist.

"The Government have obviously listened and understood the issue. It was an absurd rule.

"I will be writing to Mr Bostock to tell him the good news and I hope he has not gone off the idea and would still like to do it."

Mr Davies hopes the rule change will prove to be great news for many people in Shipley who have to pay to go private.

The Telegraph & Argus was unable

to contact Mr Bostock who was overseas this week.