How comes a Ducati dealer in this country cannot get them and yet there they are on German ebay still wrapped up in the Ducati packaging?

I would ask your dealer that question:o

998 part numbers are 46011061B and 46011051B. Ask your dealer for them and they should be able to get them easy enough.

Martin ... you have U2U

Martin, John who does parts at Duc Leeds is away on holiday, i went in after a workshop manual and couldn't order one because no-one knew where to find it on the parts listing :)