HC Deb 11 November 1996 vol 285 cc97-8W
Mr. Alfred Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent changes in provision for hearing disorders the War Pensions Agency is now introducing; how they affect the provision of remedial help for service-related hearing loss; when these changes were submitted for parliamentary approval; what representations he has received about them; and if he will make a statement. [3072]

Mr. Heald

Article 26 of the Service Pensions Order 1983 gives the Secretary of State a discretionary power to defray necessary expenses relating to the treatment of an ex-member of the armed forces arising as a result of disablement due to service, including the cost of aids and appliances such as hearing aids. The power cannot be used, however, when the treatment, aid or appliance is provided under other UK legislation.

The long-standing policy has been to use that discretionary power to defray the costs of non-standard hearing aids for war pensioners only where a standard aid was not medically suitable.

With the implementation of the NHS Trust and Community Care Act 1990, the NHS is no longer restricted to supplying hearing aids from a limited list of models. NHS hearing aid centres may now purchase and supply on free loan any type of hearing aid that they consider appropriate in any individual case.

It was recently recognised that our operational procedures had not kept up with this change in the NHS arrangements. The procedures have now been amended to ensure that they reflect fully both the policy intention and the limitations placed on the Secretary of State's discretionary powers.

Any war pensioner resident in the UK approaching the War Pensions Agency for a hearing aid is now being advised to access the NHS system in the normal way. War pensioners will not be disadvantaged by these operational changes as there is now no specific hearing impairment for which the NHS cannot supply a suitable aid.

The changes have not been submitted for parliamentary approval because there has been no change in either the law or normal policy.

We have, to date, received one letter concerning the changes, from the national chairman of the Royal British Legion.