§ Sir R. Russellasked the Minister of Social Security if she will take steps to assist old-age pensioners who are hard of hearing to meet the 50 per cent. increase in the cost of batteries for their hearing-aids.
§ Mrs. HartThe Ministry of Social Security Act excludes medical and aural requirements (which include batteries for hearing-aids) from the items which can be covered by the Supplementary Benefits scheme, other than charges made for any of these within the National Health Service. Both hearing-aids and batteries can be obtained free of charge through the National Health Service.