§ Mr. Hattonasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report the number of justices at present on the active list who sit on the City of Manchester Bench, together with the number of those justices who reside outside the city; and what percentage the latter represents of the full complement of justices.
§ Mr. LeverThe Manchester Bench is currently composed of 313 active justices, of whom 160 reside within the344W Ireland, the following information: (a) how long in each area behind-the-ear hearing aids have been available, (b) the number of such aids issued to replace badly worn aids, (c) the number of behind-the-ear aids issued to entirely new users, (d) the number of persons issued with body-worn aids who requested behind-the-ear aids, both new and replacement, (e) the number of persons on the waiting lists for a behind-the-ear aid to replace a body-worn aid, and (f) the total number of persons in each area who use a hearing aid.
§ Mr. CarterInformation is not available in the form requested. Behind-the-ear hearing aids have been available to children under the Health Service for many years. A scheme to include adults was introduced in November 1974 on a phased basis related to priority groups.
The following table shows the numbers of behind-the-ear aids, including replacements, issued to adults and children by health and social services boards during the period 1st November 1974 to 30th September 1976, and the number of persons for whom an appointment has been made at a hearing aid clinic or who are on a waiting list for fitting a behind-the-ear aid, including a replacement aid, at 30th September 1976:
city boundaries, and 153, representing 49 per cent. of the total, reside outside. I have determined that wherever possible appointments should go to residents of the city, and I will shortly be announcing a new list of justices which will increase the proportion of justices who are.