Mr. Alfred Momsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action his Department has taken in the light of the "Breaking the Sound Barrier" campaign of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, Age Concern England and the British Association for the Hard of Hearing; if there is any further action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MajorThe Department has been closely associated with the campaign since the planning stage. Ministers continue to give support by letter, in speeches and by attending meetings. We are in process of consulting professional and other bodies about cutting waiting times for National Health Service hearing aids and actively pursuing the possibility of linking the promotion of induction loop systems with the Sympathetic Hearing Scheme to which the Department has already given considerable financial support.