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In this Report
Commons Written Answers (3 Nov 2004)
Departmental Publications (Access)
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format.
Ms Rosie Winterton: Where we assess that a publication will have wide interest, including consultation documents and public facing information, materials are produced as standard in alternative formats on, or as close as possible, to the initial publication launch date. Many of the Department's public facing materials are produced in large print format (conforming to Royal National Institute for the Blind guidelines) as a matter of course.
Additionally, the Department undertakes to produce all publications in alternative formats upon request. Alternative formats may include Braille, audio-cassette, British Sign Language video, compact disc, large print format and versions for people with learning difficulties.
Documents are simultaneously published on the Department's website, which conforms to Government guidelines and W3C (World Wide Web consortium) accessibility standards at level "A".
Recently, the Department's website has been speech enabled with software which reads webpages aloud, highlighting text as it goes. This makes content more accessible for those who are dyslexic; have learning difficulties; for whom English is not their first language and those with mild visual impairment.
The Department does not centrally record information about individual requests and subsequent production of alternative formats and so it is not possible to provide figures on the numbers of publications available in each format.
Commons Written Answers (4 Nov 2004)
Hearing Aids
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that guidelines on priorities for fitting digital hearing aids (a) take into account situations where a patient has mental health problems as well as hearing loss and (b) ensure that trusts carry out a holistic assessment of patients waiting for digital hearing aids.
Dr. Ladyman: Audiology services should develop their own priorities and guidelines for fitting digital hearing aids in consultation with primary care trusts and commissioners. Best practice would suggest that all clinical teams in the national health service should be undertaking holistic assessments of their clients, including consideration of any mental health problems, but this is a matter for trusts to determine and implement.
Commons Written Answers (4 Nov 2004)
Audiology (St. George's Hospital)
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are waiting for (a) hearing aids and (b) other audiology treatment at St. George's Hospital, Tooting.
Dr. Ladyman: There are no patients waiting at St. George's Healthcare National Health Service Trust for the specialty audiological medicine.
Information is collected at specialty level but not specifically on waits for hearing aids or other specific treatments within this specialty.
Commons Written Answers (9 Nov 2004)
British/Irish Sign Languages
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the final report of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure working group on British and Irish Sign Languages will be published; and what the proposed timescale is for implementation of the recommendations of that report.
Angela Smith: A Sign Language Partnership Group, comprising representatives of the Deaf Community in Northern Ireland and departmental officials, is addressing a number of key issues regarding the provision of tutors and interpreters, raising awareness, and best practice guidance. The Group's proposals are expected to be submitted to Ministers by the end of the year. It is anticipated that publication of the proposals and implementation will commence early next year.
Commons Written Answers (11 Nov 2004)
Sign Language
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans there are to include (a) British and (b) Irish Sign Language in the European Charter of Minority Languages.
Maria Eagle: The Council of Europe's Charter for Regional or Minority Languages does not include provision for sign languages. The Council's Parliamentary Assembly made a recommendation to the Council on the protection of sign languages used in member states to which the Council's Committee of Ministers responded on 5 July 2004. The reply notes that before deciding on the question of any possible future instrument a study of the needs of sign language users should be conducted in consultation with them and their organisations. The Government have indicated a willingness to participate in further work to move the process forward.
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