That anticipates a point that I was hoping to make.

The development of a comprehensive service is our objective, but obviously improvements are going to take some considerable time, particularly in view of the strains on existing National Health Service resources. Though the number of technical staff is growing year by year, it is not evenly spread and there are local difficulties of recruitment. There was in Great Britain, prior to the recent reorganisation of the National Health Ser vice, the whole equivalent of about 390 physiological measurement technicians—that is audiology—including students, working in hospitals. My Department has advised authorities that over the country the aim should be to secure a net increase of 20 per cent. this year in staffing levels and a doubling thereafter. There are areas which are poorly provided for and the increase would need to be higher in these places. The Department has been examining the need for additional training arrangements to meet increased recruitment and the introduction of new types of hearing aid—