§ Lord Harvingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make a statement on the research being actively undertaken since the debate on the partially deaf on 23rd March 1983, and what part of the £200,000 awarded for this general subject a year ago is being spent directly in connection with the improvement of directional aid excluding background noise.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Glenarthur)The additional £200,000 was granted towards the costs of the Sympathetic Hearing Scheme, which does not specifically include research. Current research into hearing aids funded by the Department of Health and Social Security includes a project to improve the comprehension of speech in noisy situations, and a study of how best to reduce the disturbing effects of loud background noises.