HC Deb 03 April 1973 vol 854 cc207-8
6. Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now provide behind-the-ear aids for all deaf people who can benefit from them.

Mr. Alison

No, Sir. We have not yet completed our consideration of the many relevant issues.

Mr. Ashley

Would the Minister care either to get on with the trick or change his line of patter? When I asked a similar Question in February 1972, more than a year ago, he said that he was actively considering. In March he was seriously considering. In May he was expediting his study. In July he was looking into it. In August he said that there was no unnecessary delay. In December he was still looking into it. Today he says that he has not yet completed his study. Would it not be a good idea for the Minister, instead of parroting phrases, to give proper consideration to deaf people who cannot afford to buy expensive hearing aids?

Mr. Alison

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will be encouraged by the appearance of the word "completion" in this saga. We are moving steadily towards completion. The hon. Gentleman will be amongst those who appreciate the need to integrate carefully questions of appliances with clinical treatment involving medical and para-medical personnel. It is better to hasten slowly towards a fully effective conclusion.

Mr. John Hall

Is my hon. Friend aware that the behind-the-ear hearing aids which are the subject of the Question have been in existence for many years? Is it not difficult to understand why it should take his Department so long to investigate this problem? As the studies are now nearing completion, will he say that he will give his conclusions to the House within the next two or three months?

Mr. Alison

My hon. Friend may not realise that the problem is not one of appreciating the refinements of either the Medresco aids which are currently supplied or the commercial head-worn aids that are now on the market. It is the more complex question of changing over from one form of hearing aid to another in the National Health Service in the context of a full clinical assessment of needs and the full range of audiological support that such an operation entails.

Mr. Pavitt

Does the hon. Gentleman recall that his Department started this inquiry in 1966 and that he has had his interdepartmental report on hearing research since April 1972? Does it not emerge from the moving account of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) which appeared in the Sunday Times last Sunday that anyone who has suffered damage to his hearing mechanism is concerned not only with the cosmetic aspect but with psychological and other problems? If the 2¼ million deaf people, half of whom do not yet have hearing aids, are to benefit from behind-the-ear aids, the Minister must move far more quickly.

Mr. Alison

I hope the hon. Gentleman will agree with me that, while the cosmetic aspect is an important element and indeed has a psychological factor to contribute, we must not underrate the success and the value of the Medresco aids to those who use them.