§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of totally and profoundly deaf people who get no benefit from hearing aids but who might be helped by a cochlear implant.
§ Mr. MellorEstimates from those units which currently provide a cochlear implant service suggest that between 5,000 and 6,000 profoundly deaf people in England might get some benefit from a cochlear implant.
§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is currently issued by his Department to people with a hearing loss.
§ Mr. MellorAll National Health Service patients issued with a hearing aid are given a copy of the Department's booklet HA1 "How to use your Hearing Aid", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to the number of hearing aid users in England and Wales.
§ Mr. MellorFigures provided by the Institute of Hearing Research suggest that around 1.3 million people aged 17 and over in England and Wales use a hearing aid. We have no precise information about the number of children using hearing aids.
§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last reviewed the adequacy of the range of hearing aids available on the National Health Service.
§ Mr. MellorThe range of hearing aids available under the National Health Service is kept under constant review by the commodities advisory group advising Mersey regional health authority, which is responsible for the procurement and distribution of all National Health Service hearing aids.