Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of ensuring that (a) all veterans with service-related hearing problems are able to have their MoD-issued hearing aids serviced and replaced at no cost and (b) working-age veterans can access higher grade hearing aids including in-the-ear aids.

The provision of hearing aids for veterans is a matter for the Department of Health (DH) and therefore no such estimate has been undertaken. For veterans of a working age, priority National Health Service (NHS) treatment and access to clinically appropriate digital aids where hearing problems are due to service is already best practice across the United Kingdom. For veterans with hearing loss just below the compensation threshold I have written to my Ministerial colleagues responsible for health in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and have their agreement in principle that these individuals should be able to access NHS supplied digital aids. The DH has advised recently that the NHS England strategy on hearing aids is currently out for consultation with a view to sign off early next year.