§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what communication his Department has had with the Department of Health about developing the provision of language and educational support for children from zero to two years in preparation for the pilot project and the introduction of universal neo-natal hearing screening; [130099]
(2) what communication his Department (a) has had and (b) plans to have with (i) local education authorities, (ii) teachers of the deaf, (iii) the teacher training authority, (iv) teaching unions and (v) organisations of and for deaf and hard of hearing people about (1) the launch and (2) the national roll-out of the neo-natal hearing screening pilot project; [130101]
(3) when his Department will establish an advisory group on co-ordinating the development of language and educational provision in preparation for the (a) launch and (b) national roll-out of the pilot project for neo-natal hearing screening; and when it will announce the composition of the group. [130102]
§ Ms HodgeDiscussions between DfEE and DH have taken place at both ministerial and official level about neo-natal hearing screening, including the consequential need for educational services. Similarly, both Departments are in regular contact with key organisations in this field.
The National Screening Committee advises Ministers on proposed screening programmes and follows set procedures for setting up pilot projects. These include establishing an executive group to represent the various interests to discuss and determine the practicalities of how the pilot projects will develop. When the National Screening Committee establishes an executive group for neo-natal hearing screening, it will include a representative from this Department.
A key function of the executive group and indeed of the pilot projects is to provide an opportunity to explore all the implications of neo-natal hearing screening. During this process both Departments will contact and discuss issues with all the relevant bodies.
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§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has conducted into the language and educational benefits of neo-natal hearing screening and effective follow-up support for deaf children from zero to two years. [130103]