UK Council on Deafness

November 2002 Parliamentary Report

Commons Written Answers (7 Nov 2002)
Industrial Injuries

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will publish the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council report on occupational deafness.

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council expects to publish its report on occupational deafness shortly.

Commons Hansard (15 Nov 2002) Queen's Speech Third Day

Mr. Barry Gardiner (Brent, North): I begin by offering my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who has left the Chamber for a moment or two, my congratulations on his appointment. I also congratulate the teachers in my constituency of Brent, North: I believe that I have some of the finest in the country-and some of the finest head teachers to boot. I know that simply because I see what they have achieved in their schools over the past five years.

The figures for key stage 2 English SATs were 65.2 per cent., but they are now up at 74.6 per cent. The maths results have improved from 61 per cent. to 75.8 per cent. The science results, which were 68.7 per cent., are 85.2 per cent.-a 16.5 per cent. increase in five years. I pay tribute to the work done by those teachers and by head teachers, parents and pupils. A-level grades show a similar rise. In 2001, the figure for grades A to C was 54 per cent. This year, it is 62 per cent., which is an 8 per cent. rise in just one year. That shows the commitment put in by teachers and by students. I welcome it and congratulate all concerned.

I must also highlight the Government's work in investing in those children and those schools. In particular, I want the House to consider the fact that, over the past year, £2.7 million has been going into Wembley high school in my constituency, achieving specialist technology status for it. Also, £2.7 million is going into Kingsbury Green primary school in my constituency, which has created 13 new classrooms, a new hall and six special educational needs rooms for the deaf children who learn there. That sort of investment has achieved the results that I mentioned.

Commons Written Answers (25 Nov 2002)
Hearing Aids (Blackpool)

Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when digital hearing aids will be available to patients of Blackpool Victoria Acute Health Trust.

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 19 November 2002]: Blackpool Victoria Hospital Trust issues patients with digital hearing aids based on the patient's individual clinical need. However, the trust is currently negotiating with the local primary care trust for additional funding, which will extend this provision further.

Commons Written Answers (25 Nov 2002)
Deaf Children in Care (Sexual Abuse)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of deaf children suffered sexual abuse while in local authority care in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not hold this data centrally

Commons Written Answers (25 Nov 2002)
Mental Health (Deaf People)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of detention was for deaf people detained under the Mental Health Acts in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Commons Written Answers (27 Nov 2002)
Deaf Children (Mental Health)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what residential care provision is available for deaf children with mental health problems.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not hold this data centrally.

Commons Written Answers (27 Nov 2002)
Mental Health (Deaf Children)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) sign language workers, (b) social workers, (c) psychiatrists with sign language skills and (d) specialist psychiatrists for deaf children there were in each year since 1997.

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not available.

Lords Hansard (28 Nov 2002)
Private Sector Healthcare

Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they intend to introduce to encourage the growth of the private sector in healthcare.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): My Lords, the Government's first priority is to implement the NHS Plan and deliver a high quality service to the public. It is not our policy to promote private healthcare as an alternative to the NHS. However, it is our policy to use the private sector when it can support the public sector to improve public services, for example, by increasing NHS capacity and patient choice.

Lord Ashley of Stoke: My Lords, is my noble friend aware that not only would it be illogical to try to improve the health service by transferring funds from the health service to the private sector; it would also be highly undesirable? The stand outlined by my noble friend will receive warm support throughout the country, especially from the many millions of people who depend on the health service.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, my noble friend is right that we must focus on improving and developing the National Health Service. But the issue that we face at present is a lack of capacity. That is why we are embarking on a major hospital building programme. It is also why we are increasing the number of training places and recruiting staff at home and abroad. However, with current capacity being very tight, it surely also makes sense to use the private sector, which at present has considerable spare capacity.

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: My Lords, the delivery target for digital hearing aids appears to have fallen behind substantially. Does the Minister agree that it would be useful to go into partnership in respect of digital hearing aids, not least in the fitting of the aids, in which the private sector has considerable expertise?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I certainly agree that the National Health Service should look for partnerships with the private sector where that sector can provide expertise that is not available within the NHS, whether in relation to services for deaf people or other services. That is the intention of the Government. I believe that over the past few years many schemes have shown the benefit of using private sector expertise.

Lord Phillips of Sudbury: My Lords, does the Minister agree that, given that the private healthcare sector has three distinct components-the profit-making one, the mutual one and the charitable one-the most natural partner for the NHS would be, first, the charitable sector, secondly, the mutual sector and, only thirdly, the profit-making sector?

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I certainly welcome the long tradition of the NHS working with both the charitable sector and what the noble Lord describes as the "mutual" sector. I should have thought that the hospice movement is an example of that. But, ultimately, what counts is whether we can increase capacity in the NHS. Even with profitable private hospital care providers, if they have spare capacity which the NHS could use, we should use it.

Commons Written Answers (28 Nov 2002)
Digital Hearing Aids

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts and health authorities are making available digital hearing aids for (a) children and (b) adults.

Jacqui Smith: In order to access the national health service contract for digital hearing aids, trusts must first have in place the appropriate infrastructure, equipment and training. All 20 sites from the first wave of the modernising hearing aid services project regularly supply digital aids. The number of second wave sites prescribing digital aids will increase each month so that all 30 will be prescribing by the end of March 2003. In addition, the 17 sites announced on 22 November as receiving the necessary information technology equipment will be in a position to prescribe digital aids from April 2003. A list of first wave sites, second wave sites and sites to receive equipment will be placed in the Library.

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