§ 11. Mr. Messerasked the Minister of Pensions if there are any special rehabilitation centres in this country for the deaf and hard of hearing, similar to those known as Army Rehabilitation Centres for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the U.S.A.; whether there is any clinic, other than that at Manchester University, in which standardised tests are made of the capacity of ex-Service or civil deafened patients to benefit from different types of aids to hearing; and whether classes in lip-reading have been organised for deaf ex-Service personnel as they were in 1919.
§ The Minister of Pensions (Sir Walter Womersley)I am making inquiries as to the scope of the work done at the centres referred to. As regards the second part of the Question standardised tests are conducted by aural specialists at each of my regional offices to determine the most suitable type of aid to hearing appliance for ex-Service and civil deafened pensioners. In addition to the one at Manchester University, there are also special clinics at certain of the London hospitals, which are consulted in individual cases of difficulty. The reply to the last part of the Question is as indicated in the answer to a similar question by my hon. Friend on 2nd November.