§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the average cost of a National Health Service issued hearing aid;
(2) how many hearing aids are currently issued annually by the National Health Service (a) in total and (b) free of charge; and what is the total cost of this service;
592W(3) if he will make a statement outlining the range and quality of hearing aids which are currently available under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. ScottI am afraid that the information my hon. Friend seeks is not available centrally. Responsibility for the central purchase of NHS hearing aids and their supply to hearing aid centres throughout the United Kingdom was transferred to the Mersey regional health authority in April 1985. My hon. Friend may therefore care to contact the regional chairman direct.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make it his policy to allow users of hearing aids to put towards the cost of an aid of their choice a voucher from the National Health Service equal to the average cost of a hearing aid issued free by the National Health Service.