asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of ophthalmists working within the National Health Service in 1966 and 1976.

The numbers of ophthalmic medical practitioners, ophthalmic opticians and dispensing opticians in the General Opthalmic Service at 31st December for the years 1966 to 1975 are given below. The 1976 figures are not yet available.

	England and Wales
	1966	1975
Ophthalmic medical practitioners	885	874
Ophthalmic Opticians	5,198	4,667
Dispensing Opticians	1,059	1,453

Some of these practitioners also hold hospital appointments.The numbers and whole-time equivalents of doctors in the hospital service, excluding locum appointments and those appointed under Paragraph 94 of the Terms and Conditions of Service, whose only or major speciality is ophthalmology at 30th September for the years 1966 and 1975 are:

	England and Wales
	No.	Wte.
1966	762	584·0
1975	905	778·9

The figures relating to England and Wales for 1976, which exclude the hospital practitioner grade, locum appointments and those appointed under Paragraph 94 of the terms and conditions of service, are 957 and 817 respectively. Figures for 1976 are not yet available.The whole-time equivalent of ophthalmic and dispensing opticians in the hospital service at 30th September for the years 1966 and 1975 is, to the nearest whole number, as follows:

	England and Wales
	1966	1975
		Wte
Ophthalmic Opticians	58	92
Dispensing Opticians	35	37
The 1976 figures are not yet available.
Wte = whole time equivalent.