Hospital waiting lists get longer! Or so the Daily Telegraph reported. But things may be better in York, where my incapacitated spouse was waiting to have her hips replaced. She was told some time ago she would be admitted - subject to a bed being available - today, August 14, for one of her hip joints to be replaced. Great news. But even better news was to follow: a week yesterday, she was told her admittance had been brought forward to the following day.

But an even greater surprise was in store: the surgeon who was to carry out her operation told her he thought it would be advisable to operate on both hips, that was, if she agreed. Jean, always on the lookout for "buy one and get one free" offers, jumped - well, almost - at the suggestion.

She has now had her hip joints replaced and is making excellent progress towards recovery, due, mainly, to the dedicated and skilled nursing and physiotherapy she is receiving from the hospital staff.

The National Health Service may be underfunded and understaffed, but should never be underrated.

And we in York may be justly proud of the medical service we receive.

The ongoing debate on whether to clone, or not to clone, is a subject that is raising many issues, not least the question of morality in creating humans without the ability to develop their individuality, and denying them choice.

The question of creating such disadvantaged beings reminds me of the time that playwright George Bernard Shaw received a letter from a Marilyn Monroesque-type beauty, who wrote: "Just think, if we could produce a child, with your brains and my body beautiful, what a magnificent specimen it would be."

GBS annotated in red ink in the margin of her letter, which was a particular idiosyncrasy of his: "Yes, my dear lady, but just think what a dreadful abomination we would create if it had your brains and my body."

SO the scene was set for a murder evening in York's Abbey Park Hotel last Friday, when 'Sgt. Willis', master of ceremonies for the event, ordered - in his best impression of Captain Renaud in Casablanca - "Round up the usual suspects!" Immediately five enthusiastic aspiring young actors - three men and two girls - shuffled into the dining room, which was filled to capacity with Clouseau-like detectives.

The suspects, trying to appear suspicious, were grilled as thoroughly as the chicken breasts, but the hubbub of laughter drowned out their alibis.

While the satisfying four-course meal added taste to the occasion, the generous indulgence of Rioja wines dulled the 'little grey cells', making it a hard case to crack. But surprisingly, there were a few of the gathered sleuths who managed to unravel the clues and discover the identity of the double murderer.

Yours truly, doing his best impression of one of the other better known Marlowes, was completely distracted by the extraordinary antics of his fellow detectives, and failed miserably to live up to the traditions of Raymond Chandler's hero. But he highly recommends returning to the scene of the crime.

AND speaking of detectives, it's been reported that our 'new broom' Home Secretary, David Blunkett, has vowed to put the majority of the country's plain-clothes men back into uniform.

This action should certainly help increase the police 'presence' on our streets. Because, after all, detectives only fulfil their role when a crime has been committed, whereas uniformed bobbies are more likely to prevent crimes before they occur.

It is an accepted fact that "prevention is always better than cure".