HC Deb 19 May 1993 vol 225 cc167-8W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Education who is responsible for the provision and maintenance of radio hearing aids for(a) pre-school children, (b) children at school and (c) students in further and higher education.

Mr. Forth

Where a radio hearing aid is specified as special educational provision in the statement of special educational need of a pre-school child or a child attending a school, it is the duty of the responsible local education authority to arrange for the provision and maintenance of such aids.

The Further Education Funding Council and local education authorities are under duties to secure further education provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. These duties require them to take account of students' additional learning support needs.

Within higher education, it is for individual higher education institutions to consider the arrangements necessary to meet the additional learning support needs of such students. Eligible students in higher education may be entitled to three disabled students allowances as part of their mandatory award, including up to £3,325 for specialist equipment.

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