§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) hearing aid users and (b) digital hearing aid users there were in (i) the Jarrow constituency. (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the UK on 1 February. [99929]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Royal National Institute for the Deaf estimates that there are 1.8 million people currently using hearing aids in England. Information is not collected centrally on numbers of people using analogue or digital hearing aids in England or in the localised areas specified. Information related to Wales and Scotland is a matter for the devolved administrations. Whilst the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.