asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number on the waiting list at hospitals in the Bury area health authority for surgical, medical and other kinds of operations or treatment, including geriatrics and psycho-geriatrics.

The numbers waiting on 30th September 1978 were as follows:

General surgery	261
ENT	270
Trauma and orthopaedic	185
Dental surgery	33
Gynaecology	394
Geriatrics	Nil
Elderly severely mentally infirm	Nil
TOTAL	1,143

NOTE. In addition to the number shown on the waiting list for general surgery, 65 patients have been notified of specific admission dates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has for developing hospital services in the Bury area health authority, in the light of the fact that the area has the largest population growth in the North-West.

The North-Western regional health authority is planning to develop Fairfield general hospital as the district general hospital for the Bury area. The authority's capital programme includes a scheme starting in 1984 to provide acute beds, operating theatres, an accident and emerging department and an out-patient department. The programme also includes a psychiatric day hospital and paediatric department statring in 1980 and 1981 respectively.