§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average delay in the provision of hearing aids; what are the regional differences in waiting times; and if he will make a statement about the action he may be taking to speed the delivery of such hearing aids.
§ Mr. FreemanAccording to a survey carried out in 1986 by the British Association of Audiology Technicians, the average waiting time for a hearing aid fitting in the United Kingdom is 7.2 weeks. Information on regional differences in waiting times is not held centrally. We are considering the action which might be taken in response to the Royal National Institute for the Dears "Fair Hearing" campaign.