Explanatory note

The rules approved by this Order increase with effect from 1st January 2005 the fees payable to the General Optical Council by ophthalmic and dispensing opticians and bodies corporate carrying on business as opticians for registration, enrolment or retention in, restoration to and transfer within the register of opticians. The fees were last fixed with effect from 31st March 2004 and have been increased by 25.1% per cent. The basic registration fee element is unchanged and the increase is accounted for by the introduction of the levy for the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS) and for continuing Education and Training (CET). Registrants currently pay for the OCCS through their Federation of Dispensing Opticians, Association of Optical Practitioners or Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) contributions—this arrangement will cease. Both the College of Optometrists and ABDO run voluntary schemes for CET at present. These will cease and the membership fees for these bodies in future will reflect the provision of CET rather than its administration.