§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the sums expended by each health and social services board in Northern Ireland for each of the past three years on the provision of telephones for the handicapped, specifying in
Board Telephone installations Telephone rentals Total expenditure £000s 1979 1980 1981 1979 1980 1981 1979 1980 1981 Eastern 537 583 391 540 1,221 931 35 94 103 Northern 446 174 137 513 847 846 34 55 63 Southern 60 27 74 100 114 193 10 12 18 Western 128 147 109 225 344 620 11 25 34 Total 1,171 931 711 1,378 2,526 2,590 90 186 218 Information about waiting lists is not held centrally but the Department of Health and Social Services has been informed that the numbers of applicants on waiting lists operated by the four boards are as follows:
Number of applicants on waiting lists Board 1979 1980 1981 Eastern 116 111 107 Northern 158 217 65 Southern 8 6 17 Western 37 23 17 Total 319 357 206 The criteria for receiving help were widened in June 1978 and this has led to an increase in demand. Delays may also occur because of a shortage of lines especially in rural areas.