Hearing Aids: Standards (Hansard, 19 January 1989)

§ The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Lord Young of Graffham)
My Lords, setting and maintaining standards of conduct among hearing aid dispensers in the private sector are the responsibility of the Hearing Aid Council set up under the Hearing Aid Council Act 1968.

§ Lord Milverton
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. However, have he or his department studied the paper of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on hearing aids entitled A Case for Change? Does he agree that it might be a good idea if the issue of the amount of representation of the consumer was added to the Hearing Aid Council's agenda and that possibly a trial period of, say, 30 days, should be given to those in need of hearing aids?
Finally, is he, with his honourable friend in another place, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and his department, really convinced that all possible doors are closed to dubious sellers who take advantage of the aged and the vulnerable? Further, will he thank his honourable friend for the letter he sent to me?

§ Lord Young of Graffham
My Lords, the council, which has been in existence for some 20 years, receives an average of about 70 complaints a year all of which are considered either by the registrar or the council's investigation committee. In the past four years three cases have been heard by the council's disciplinary committee and two further cases are the subject of an adjourned meeting.
I believe that the present system, subject to our looking at it further, holds the balance between trade and consumer interests. We are studying the matter to see whether there should be any changes.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the Minister aware that those hearing aid dispensers and examiners who operate within the National Health Service should receive the highest praise possible for the wonderful work they do? Is he further aware of their deep regret that many of the products of British science which could help British people who are hard of hearing or nearly deaf are denied them because the products are not obtainable on the National Health Service? Does he not agree that anything which British scientists and British dispensers can produce should be available to all British people, irrespective of income.

§ Lord Young of Graffham
My Lords, the noble Lord is doubtless aware that I am not the Secretary of State for Health. My responsibility is that I have some supervision over the private sector providers of hearing aids. That is the job of the Hearing Aid Council; that is the matter at which my department looks.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that while the majority of suppliers appear to behave correctly, the Royal National Institute for the Deaf is most concerned about cases where individuals have been pressed into buying expensive hearing aids which are not suitable for them without any means of redress? Is he further aware of an impression that prevails that the disciplinary committee of the Hearing Aid Council, to which he referred, has only met once during the last three years?

§ Lord Young of Graffham
My Lords, of course there are existing procedures under the British Code of Advertising Practice for those who advertise misleadingly. That code has now had statutory underpinning by virtue of the misleading advertising regulations which came into force last year and which are enforced by the Director General of Fair Trading.
I am aware of the fair hearing campaign which was launched on 1st November last year. That is being considered by my right honourable colleague the Secretary of State for Health. I am looking at the provision of private sector providers. We are looking carefully into the position at present.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, is the Minister aware, or is his right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health aware, that there is a good deal of concern about these unsolicited, unwanted and sometimes unwelcome visits from sales representatives? Such visits can sometimes be quite oppressive for the elderly when they are confronted in their homes. Will the Government consider whether some of the proposals for changes in the Hearing Aid Council which are contained in a Private Member's Bill in another place might not make the sort of improvements that have been referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Campbell?

§ Lord Young of Graffham
Yes, my Lords, we are aware of the proposals for a Private Member's Bill in another place which will slightly alter the balance in the constitution of the council. We are looking very closely at the validity of the number of complaints. At the moment some five members represent consumers on the existing council. They are the people to whom any complaints should be addressed; they should ensure that the council will take the necessary steps. It is a matter which we are considering. We have not yet reached a view, but I hope we shall be able to do so before much longer.

Lord Winstanley
My Lords, will the noble Lord accept that if the most modern hearing aid, the type of hearing aid which is in the greatest demand by people with hearing difficulties, were available in the National Health Service hearing aid clinics, people would be much less dependent on the private sector? Will the noble Lord have a word with his right honourable friend and tell him that it is time that we looked again at the range of hearing aids available under the National Health Service?

§ Lord Young of Graffham
My Lords, I shall certainly draw this Question and your Lordships' 329 comments on it to the attention of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health. I have no doubt at all that he will read the comments carefully.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, perhaps I may thank the noble Lord for what he has just said. Is he prepared to point out that the views expressed on all sides of the House this afternoon require that every Briton be given the best that British science can produce in the way of hearing aids?

§ Lord Young of Graffham
My Lords, I am receiving a slightly conflicting message: on the one hand, that we should dispense only British products, but on the other hand that we should dispense only the best of products. They may not in all cases always be the same.