§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many commercial hearing aids have been provided for young persons and adults under the Manpower Services Commission employment service division's special aids to employment scheme; what advice has been issued concerning the criteria for the provision of commercial hearing aids to people who need them for work; and if he will hold discussions with the Manpower Services Commission and other suitable bodies to ensure that there is uniformity of provision of commercial hearing aids by all his Department's local offices.
§ Mr. John Grant:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since January 1976, the earliest date for which the information is readily available, 16 commercial hearing aids have been loaned under the special aids to employment scheme.
Employment aids are supplied only when they are specifically needed for employment purposes. The provision of hearing aids for social and domestic purposes, including normal communication at work, is outside the scope of the special aids to employment scheme.
The MSC is aware of the need to ensure that all applications for hearing aids are dealt with equitably. All of the employment service division's area offices have been advised that every application for the provision of a hearing aid should be forwarded to head office for consideration. In view of this I should not feel it necessary to discuss the uniformity of provision with the MSC or other suitable bodies.
I have asked the MSC to pay particular attention to the need to apply a uniform standard of treatment.