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In this Report
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Questions for Written Answer
23 July 2008
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of deaf children in England; and on what methodology his estimate is based.
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children aged 18 and under received (a) unilateral and (b) bilateral cochlear implants in each year since 2001, broken down by primary care trust.
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Hansard Written Answers
Employment Services: Hearing Impaired
22 July 2008
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what facilities jobcentres offer to deaf people who arrive to make enquiries (a) with and (b) without an appointment; and how many front line jobcentre staff have qualifications in British Sign Language.
Mr. Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 22 July 2008:
The Secretary of State has asked Lesley Strathie to reply to your question asking what facilities Jobcentres offer to deaf people who arrive to make enquiries (a) with and (b) without an appointment; and how many front line jobcentre staff have qualifications in British Sign Language. I am replying on behalf of Lesley Strathie as acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Within Jobcentre Plus we recognise the diverse range of customers we serve and we are fully committed to providing equally accessible and available services to all customers.
Customers who are hearing impaired can obtain support from Jobcentre Plus in the following ways:
if a customer is able to use a hearing loop, we provide integrated and portable hearing loop facilities in each Jobcentre;
where customers prefer to have a qualified British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter present, the Jobcentre will arrange for an external interpreter to be present at the interview. We currently have four contracted providers that provide BSL interpreters nationally, or staff can use local qualified interpreters, lip speakers, or deaf blind interpreters; or
alternatively, customers can choose to bring friends, relatives or intermediaries to act as interpreting agents for them. If a customer provides their own professional qualified interpreter they can be reimbursed with reasonable costs.
We do not hold a central national database of staff who are qualified in BSL and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Jobcentre Plus is committed to providing a first class service and ensuring we fully support all our customers.
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Hansard Written Answers
Literacy: Hearing Impaired
22 July 2008
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what arrangements are in place to ensure that the teaching of literacy is accessible to deaf children, with particular regard to the use of phonics;
(2) what arrangements are in place to ensure deaf children who fail to attain level 3 at key stage 2 English are receiving catch-up support tailored to their needs;
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what steps he is planning to implement to reduce the gap in attainment between deaf children and their hearing peers; and if he will make a statement.
Kevin Brennan: Our key priority is to personalise learning by focusing on each pupil's progression so that every child achieves their potential. Our renewed literacy strategy builds on Sir Jim Rose's independent review of the teaching of early reading by putting phonics at the heart of ‘teaching reading in order to help to raise attainment levels amongst all pupils.
The review found that there was a wide range of expert support and guidance available to help schools match provision to need regarding the teaching of literacy.
Through the national strategies we will continue to encourage teachers to apply inclusive principles to address issues of accessibility, including the needs of children with severe sensory impairment such as deafness.
The primary national strategy and other partners provide a range of intervention programmes to help those children who struggle most in reading and writing. These include the Every Child a Reader and Every Child a Writer programmes. The former provides intensive one to one support in reading for five and six year olds, the latter is a new pilot currently under development but will include one-to-one intervention in years three and four in the areas of writing that children find hardest to master.
Extra help is available for those children who need it to prevent them from falling behind: we provide early literacy support (ELS—year 1), Y3 literacy support (Y3LS) and further literacy support (FLS—year 5). These three packages are designed to help those children who, without additional help would not reach level 4 at the end of year 6.
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Hansard Written Answers
Police: Sign Language
22 July 2008
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have procedures in place to provide British sign language interpreters and lipspeakers on a 24-hour basis for deaf people requiring assistance at police stations; and what steps her Department has taken to facilitate police force compliance with the requirements of the National Agreement on Arrangements for the use of Interpreters, Translators and Language Service Professionals in Investigations and Proceedings within the Criminal Justice System, as revised in 2007.
Mr. McNulty: This information is not currently held centrally.
All chief officers of police have been issued with guidance on the use of the National Agreement.
ACPO is aiming shortly to write further reminding forces of interpreting requirements for those requiring lip speakers and British Sign Language services. This is being done in partnership with the Office of Criminal Justice Reform, who are preparing an additional leaflet of guidance in respect of deaf people in the criminal justice system.
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Hansard Written Answers
Equality
21 July 2008
Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons the Disability Discrimination (General Qualifications Bodies) (Relevant Qualifications, Reasonable Steps and Physical Features) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 have not been the subject of a disability equality impact assessment.
Jim Knight: We have consulted with the interested disability organisations about laying the draft regulations (dated 19 June 2008) without carrying out an equality impact assessment. A consortium covering Scope, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, Skill, the British Association of the Teachers of the Deaf, the British Dyslexia Association and the National Deaf Children's Society has told us it is reluctantly prepared to accept this approach. This is in order to avoid delays which could disadvantage disabled candidates or those considering whether or not to undertake a course.
When I took the DDA General Qualifications regulations through the House last summer I made it clear that the practice of exemptions from parts of an assessment, and therefore the resulting enhancements, will continue to be lawful after September 2007. This absolutely remains the Government position.
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Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of (a) deaf children and (b) all children failed to attain level 3 at key stage 2 English in the latest period for which figures are available.
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the teaching of literacy is accessible to deaf children, with particular regard to the use of phonics.
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what arrangements are in place to ensure deaf children who fail to attain level 3 at key stage 2 English are receiving catch-up support tailored to their needs.
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Excerpt from
Powers of Secretary of State and devolved administrations
15 July 2008
Lords amendment: No. 32.
Mr. Bradshaw: This group of amendments reflect areas in part 2 of the Bill where arguments put forward in the other place merited serious consideration. We have also tabled amendments to achieve a new policy, which I will turn to first.
Amendments Nos. 36, 60, 75 to 78 and 85 to 89 were introduced at Grand Committee stage in the other place to meet a Government commitment to abolish the Hearing Aid Council by April 2009 and to transfer the regulation of private hearing aid dispensers to the Health Professions Council. This group of amendments is intended to achieve that by paving the way for a future Order in Council under the section 60 provisions of the Health Act 1999, in addition to ensuring that public hearing aid dispensers can be regulated in the same way in the future.
I accept that it is not ideal that this House did not have the opportunity to consider this provision in its deliberations in Committee. I hope, however, that hon. Members will forgive the fact that this is a late addition to the Bill in recognition of the very real benefits that this measure will bring for patients and consumers. First, this will provide improved protection for the hearing impaired and simplify the regulatory framework for hearing aid dispensers. Although the council has done a fantastic job over the past 40 years, it is operating under legislation that is increasingly outdated with gaps in consumer protection. The Health Professions Council, established in 2001, has modern and comprehensive legislation that will provide for a much more complete service to patients and consumers. As a multi-professional statutory regulator, it can provide greater resources while charging considerably smaller fees to the profession. Secondly, and importantly, the Hearing Aid Council itself, the Health Professions Council, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People and the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists are all fully supportive of this move, and are working together to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible.
For full text: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080715/debtext/80715-0007.htm
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Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces have procedures in place to provide British sign language interpreters and lipspeakers on a 24-hour basis for deaf people requiring assistance at police stations; and what steps her Department has taken to facilitate police force compliance with the requirements of the National Agreement on Arrangements for the use of Interpreters, Translators and Language Service Professionals in Investigations and Proceedings within the Criminal Justice System, as revised in 2007.
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Hansard Written Answers
General Certificate of Secondary Education: Peterborough
10 July 2008
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what proportion of deaf and hard of hearing children gained five or more GCSEs at grade C and above in the Peterborough City Council area in the last year for which figures are available;
(2) what proportion of children gained at least two A-levels in the Peterborough City Council area in the last year for which figures are available;
(3) what proportion of deaf and hard of hearing children gained at least two A-levels in the Peterborough City Council area in the last year for which figures are available.
Jim Knight: 94.6 per cent. of candidates at the end of A/AS level (or equivalent) study achieved at least two A-levels in Peterborough local authority by the end of 2006/07.
Figures for deaf and hard of hearing children are available only at disproportionate cost.
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Hansard Written Answers
Prisons: Sign Language
8 July 2008
Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many British Sign Language users worked in each prison at the latest date for which figures are available.
Maria Eagle: Information on the number of prison staff or official visitors who are able to use British Sign Language is not collated centrally nor required to be recorded locally.
A number of staff based at prison establishments have chosen to learn British Sign Language (BSL), however there is no requirement for them to disclose or record this either locally or nationally. There are also organisations such as the Birmingham Institute for the Deaf (BID), the Royal Association of Deaf People, and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) who will put prisoners in touch with qualified signers who will visit the prisoner. Not all prisoners who have hearing difficulties will use BSL.
When a prisoner is identified as needing either an interpreter for BSL, or would benefit from receiving visits from someone who speaks BSL, the prison will arrange for an interpreter or suitable visitor through local or national support agencies.
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Hansard written Answers
Pupils: Hearing Impaired
7 July 2008
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department issues on assessing the ability of deaf children in examination in subjects where a listening component is generally required; and if he will make a statement.
Jim Knight: The Department does not issue guidance on detailed issues relating to examinations: it is for the qualifications regulators and the awarding bodies to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made, in the light of their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act. The Joint Council for Qualifications prepares issues advice on access arrangements on behalf of awarding bodies.
The Government have made clear that the content and curriculum of qualifications should offer all candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills
and understanding and display their strengths. When other reasonable adjustments have been considered but cannot be made we would therefore expect that the practice of exemptions from parts of an assessment, and the resulting enhancements of grades will continue.
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Business of the House
Hansard Debates
3 July 2008
Bob Spink (Castle Point) (UKIP): I know that the Leader of the House cares about the 9 million people in the UK who are deaf or hard of hearing, for whom lip-reading is an absolutely essential life skill. Could we have a debate on the Government's guidance to local authorities on the cost of lip-reading classes? Uncaring councils such as Conservative-controlled Essex county council are pricing vulnerable groups out of lip-reading classes, and I am sure that no one in this House wants to see that practice.
Ms Harman: The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point, and this is one of the reasons why we have placed a specific duty on all organisations in the public sector, including local authorities, not to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, and to promote equality of opportunity and inclusion. The kind of services that he has described as being put at risk by Essex county council are exactly those that allow people to play a full part in the economy, by going out to work, and in the life of the community. I will raise this issue with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and see what it has to say about it.
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Lords Written Answers
Aviation: Gliders
2 July 2008
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions gliders have violated restricted airspace since 2005; and on how many of those occasions lack of transponder interoperability has been a contributing factor.
Lord Bassam of Brighton: According to the civil aviation authority's mandatory occurrence report scheme (MORS), there have been 16 reported instances of gliders infringing restricted or controlled airspace since 1 January 2005. In two of the reported occurrences, the gliders involved were carrying and using transponders. However, no determination has been made on whether a lack of transponder interoperability was a contributing factor in any of the occurrences.
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have received from gliding clubs and individuals regarding the proposed requirement that all aircraft carry Mode-S transponders and radio equipment; and whether they have received any representations regarding the effect of the proposals on deaf and hard-of-hearing pilots.
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consultation regarding proposals for an incremental expansion of the use of Mode S transponders in the UK concluded on 31 May 2008. The CAA advises that approximately 2,100 replies were received of which a significant proportion originated from private individuals with gliding interests or organisations associated with gliding.
The CAA is assessing the responses and, in due course, will publish a summary of responses and a response to consultees. At this stage in the assessment of responses, the CAA is not able to provide an indication of representations regarding the effects of the proposals on deaf and hard-of-hearing pilots, although none has been identified to date.
However, I have been advised by the CAA that the changes proposed will not have an effect on aircraft flying in uncontrolled airspace below 10,000 feet outside of a mandatory transponder carriage zone, which will include the majority of recreational gliders.
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