Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of whether North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group's (a) evaluation of clinical evidence and (b) patient engagement relating to its decision to restrict the provision of NHS hearing aids from 1 October 2015 is compliant with (i) the NHS constitution and (ii) the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

A search of Departmental records has confirmed there have been no discussions with North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on its decision to restrict the provision of National Health Service hearing aids from 1 October 2015.

The provision of hearing aids is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.

As such it would be for NHS England, within its routine assurance processes, to assess whether North Staffordshire CCG was in breach of its duties, or was considered likely to breach its duties in this matter.