HC Deb 11 December 1987 vol 124 cc317-8W
Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many patients in mental hospitals in Northern Ireland who have a visual impairment also suffer from an additional handicap; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many senior dental surgery assistants there are employment by each health and social services board in Northern Ireland; whether their duties are similar in each board area; what increases there have been in the number of such officers in the last years; whether any of them has any plans to increase the numbers of such officers; and what are the principal reasons for such changes or proposed changes.

Mr. Needham

The table sets out the number of senior dental surgery assistants employed by each health and social services board in each of the last three years. The duties of these officers are similar in each board area except for a few officers who are employed in the dental school in the Eastern board area. There are no plans to increase the numbers of these officers.

Increases over the past three years were the result of filling existing vacant posts.