HL Deb 02 March 1999 vol 597 c176WA
Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received the report of the War Pensions Medical Policy Adviser's review of the evidence on which the Department of Social Security's approach to the assessment of hearing loss on war pensions is based. [HL1349]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)

Yes. The report of the review of the department's approach to the assessment of hearing loss, conducted by the War Pensions Medical Policy Adviser, was placed in the Library today. The findings confirm that there is no new scientific evidence to raise a reasonable doubt:

  1. (i) that noise induced sensorineural hearing loss deteriorates once a person is removed from the source of the noise which caused it; and
  2. (ii) that the combination of the noise induced sensorineural hearing loss and subsequent hearing loss due to age is more that additive.

This, in turn, confirms that the department's current approach on assessment of hearing loss is in line with contemporary understanding and reflects the international standard. War disablement pensions cannot be increased in respect of hearing loss due to ageing. War disablement pensions can only be paid for disablement which is due to service.

However, if new peer reviewed scientific research is published which might affect our approach under the war pensions scheme, the department will review the position in the light of that research.