§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list and give the dates of approaches made by Ministers and officials respectively, to J. E. Hanger and Co. since 16 September about the current lock-out, together with the company's response in each case.
§ Mr. MajorUnder my direction officials in the Department's headquarters and in the Department's artificial limb and appliance centres have been in daily contact with J. E. Hanger and Co. Ltd. centrally and locally since the dispute at the Roehampton works began. Oral and written requests have been put to the management of the company from the first week enquiring what action the company were taking to maintain supply. Hanger management has not been prepared to go further than to make general assurances that they were making strenuous efforts to maintain the service.
As far as patients are concerned, however, co-operation between the Department's artificial limb and appliance centre staff and local Hanger branch management is very good. All urgent cases drawn to the attention of the company have been and are being dealt with expeditiously.