Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to ensure that families of babies identified as deaf through the newborn hearing screening programme receive timely and appropriate support from birth.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Newborn babies whose hearing screening suggests they may have deafness and hearing impairment are referred for an audiological assessment within four weeks.
A family centred approach underpins all recall processes to prioritise clear communication and support for families, ensuring transparency and minimizing harm. Working with the National Deaf Children’s Society, a range of communications have been developed with families to help support families of babies and children who are deaf or have hearing loss.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned the recently published, independent Kingdon review that includes a number of recommendations on how children’s hearing services need to be improved.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 85962 on Special Educational Needs: Hearing Impairment, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making support for families available from birth.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is committed to ensuring that all children, including deaf and hard of hearing children, have the best possible start in life. The NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme aims to identify permanent moderate, severe, and profound deafness and hearing impairment in newborn babies. Screening is offered to all babies in England.
Funding is available to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including deaf and hard of hearing children, to access early education and childcare. This includes special educational needs inclusion funding and disability access funding.
Further, in December 2025, the department announced access to early SEND support across the country through Best Start Family Hubs. In every local authority next year, councils are being tasked with recruiting a dedicated SEND practitioner for every hub to provide direct, family-facing support. The new offer will help parents identify emerging needs sooner, and support vital join-up between early years settings, health visitors and SEND teams, including for young children with hearing impairments.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of providing NHS standard hearing tests to children in primary schools in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) England.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee advising Ministers and the National Health Service about all aspects of population and targeted screening. It reviewed screening children for hearing problems in 2019 and did not recommend school age screening unless already implemented in an area. A summary of the recommendations conclusions is available at the following link:
https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/hearing-child/
We would encourage anyone with concerns about their child’s hearing to speak with their general practitioner.
The NHS does, however, run a national newborn hearing screening programme offering screening to all babies in England ideally within the first four to five weeks after they are born. The test can be done for babies up to the age of three months old. Newborn hearing screening aims to identify permanent moderate, severe and profound deafness and hearing impairment in newborn babies.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce sign language into early years planning for deaf children.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
High quality early years education is crucial to children’s development, health and life chances. The department is committed to ensuring that all children, including children with disabilities such as deafness, have the best possible start in life as part of the government‘s Plan for Change. A strong focus on communication in early years is good for every child. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) aims to ensure that all children have the skills and knowledge needed to thrive and to make a successful transition to later schooling.
The EYFS Profile involves assessing a child’s development against 17 early learning goals (ELGs) across all seven areas of learning in the EYFS. In November 2024, the department published the updated EYFS Profile handbook, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook. This update included a change to allow a child’s established or preferred mode of communication, including non-speaking communication, such as signing, to be used for all of the ELGs, including the speaking ELG.
The department has published resources, including a free online training module and special educational needs and disabilities assessment guidance, to help early educators to identify, assess and support children in their settings. Early years educators can choose to utilise many methods of communication, including signing, if they feel it would meet the needs of the children in their care.
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the total amount of Government investment into congenital deafness research was in 2023-24; and which public bodies provided that investment.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) invests £1.5 billion per year on health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). We are committed to funding timely research that leads to improved outcomes for patients and the public and makes the health and social care system more efficient, effective and safe. Research evidence is vital for improving treatments and outcomes for people, including those who experience hearing problems and tinnitus
Over the past five financial years (2019/20 – 2023/24), the NIHR has invested £3.3 million across 14 studies on these research topics directly through NIHR research programmes, with a further £1.1 million invested in career development and capacity for new hearing loss researchers. NIHR allocated £47,943 for research concerning otitis media and otitis media with effusion research in the financial year 2023-24.
UKRI delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects. This includes biological, physiological, and mechanistic aspects that are applicable to many ear conditions. UKRI’s Medical Research Council (MRC) also plays a key role in funding underpinning research which may not be attributable to a specific condition but will benefit medical research more generally.
MRC funds Doctoral Training Partnerships, a range of postgraduate training, in 2017-2024, MRC awarded £106, 564 for injury in blast-induced hearing loss and tinnitus research. In 2022 MRC also committed £1,014,670 for age-related hearing loss research, this project is active until 2025.
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, supports two programmes of work that investigate the neural and cognitive mechanisms of hearing and speech (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MC_UU_00030%2F4 and https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MC_UU_00030%2F6), as well as providing funding in 2023/24 for research into the different types of hearing loss https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FX019217%2F1.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support claimants of disability allowance who (a) have difficulties with oral communication, (b) have deafness, (c) have learning difficulties and (d) do not own a telephone.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For hearing and speech impaired customers:
DWP utilise the Video Relay Service (VRS) which enables customers to communicate in real time via a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter using a video connection on an electronic device. There is no need to be in the same location or for the customer to make an appointment. This service is available across DWP and Department for Communities Northern Ireland (DfCNI) service lines.
DWP also use Relay UK, previously known as Next Generation Text. The ‘app’ enables customer to contact a BT agent and type a message to them. The BT agent then calls DWP and verbally passes on the typed message. It works in reverse for a three-way conversation ie the DWP telephony agent speaks, and the BT Relay agent types the message back to the customer.
For customers with learning difficulties:
PIP
Customers with learning difficulties will often be represented by a third party or appointee who can support them to make a claim to disability related benefits, however we are aware that this does not apply in all cases.
When an application for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is made by someone with learning difficulties or cognitive impairments, who is acting on their own behalf, we apply a marker to the case which indicates to colleagues in DWP (and colleagues who are involved in the assessment) that the customer requires additional support. The system marker also prevents the case being closed if the customer fails to engage or is not able to meet requirements to complete or return forms.
Work Capability Assessment
Customers requiring a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) are sent a clerical WCA50. The WCA50 will also gather details of any Reasonable Adjustment (RA) or Alternative Format (AF) requirements. If a RA/AF requirement is established, we would update the availability constraints within Medical Services Referral System (MSRS) to advise the healthcare providers that a face-to-face assessment is required. All WCA appointment letters are sent out clerically too. In cases where customers are vulnerable, and require more intensive support, home visits can be arranged through the Visiting Service, who can help with form completion for example.
Disability Living Allowance
For someone who we need to speak to eg: Parent/Guardian (PG) where they have identified/requested a reasonable adjustment, any business with DLA Adult/DLA Child will be conducted in that manner, including if needed BSL. (Same service as PIP).
For learning difficulties, DLACS system(s) does not have a marker, however if the PG has an appointee DLA Child would need to make enquiries and potentially refer for a visiting officer to establish the child’s wellbeing and the PG support requirements.
For customers who do not have a telephone:
PIP:
Support can be provided by third parties, but a clerical process is available, which means applications for disability benefits can be made in writing. Where the disability benefit is subject to an assessment with a healthcare provider, appointments can be made for face-to-face appointments for those unable to participate in telephony assessments.
DLA Child/Adult:
Primarily DLA Child/Adult operate on a postal notification service, DLA uses a freephone number and where a customer does not have a telephone, DWP JCP resources would be available to initiate contact. From mid-March 2025 enhanced functionality will allow customers using the online option to advise DWP of any Reasonable Adjustment (RA) or Alternative Format (AF) requirements.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) deaf children and (b) their families receive support from specialist teachers of the deaf in (i) education and (ii) early years settings.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has developed a Sensory Impairment apprenticeship. The apprenticeship is expected to be available from September 2025 and will open up a paid, work-based route into teaching children and young people with sensory impairments. This will improve the supply of those qualified to teach this important cohort and further help to improve their outcomes.
It is also important that early years practitioners are able to identify and support children with SEND, including children with hearing impairment and deafness. The department wants deaf children to be able to thrive in their early years, which might sometimes mean that settings access specialist teachers for the deaf.
The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow to ensure every child has the best start in life, including those with SEND. It stipulates that providers must have arrangements in place to support children with SEND. Maintained schools, maintained nursery schools and all providers who are funded by the local authority to deliver early education places must have regard for the SEND Code of Practice.
In November, the department published the updated early years foundation stage profile handbook, which includes a change to allow a child’s established or preferred mode of communication (including British Sign Language) to be used for all of the early learning goals, including speaking. The handbook can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-handbook.
Asked by: Baroness Debbonaire (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote the inclusion of deaf people in sport.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone, including d/Deaf people.
That is why, through our arm's length body, Sport England, we have provided £1.2 million between 2022 and 2027 to support deaf sport at the grassroots level, build wider participation, and develop strong governance within UK Deaf Sport.
Sport England are also exploring a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore these issues and suggest potential solutions.
The Government-funded School Games programme offers children the opportunity to take part in competitions in over 40 sports at local and regional level, including inclusive, modified versions of the sports. Since 2010, the School Games have offered 13.4 million participation opportunities for young people.
Outside of the school day, the £57 million investment in the Opening School Facilities programme allows schools to open their sport facilities outside of the core school hours. Up to 1350 schools across England have been targeted, with the funding aimed at having the most positive impact on their communities, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has supported a range of funding to help widen access to heritage. For example, in 2020 they supported Funky Kids to enable families of children with D/deafness or hearing impairments to take part in social activities that taught them about local heritage, traditions and skills passed down through generations.
Arts Councils across the UK are working together with the British Film Institute to launch a free, UK-wide arts access scheme, called ‘All-In’. The pilot of this scheme is set to launch in spring 2024. This scheme will operate across the UK in arts and cultural venues, for seamless, barrier-free booking which is responsive to individual circumstances and needs, including those who are d/Deaf.
DCMS investment is enabling important accessibility upgrades in cultural venues across the country, including via infrastructure grants to DCMS-sponsored cultural bodies. The joint DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, which is available to a wide range of museums and galleries across England, also has improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities as a core criterion. Recent grants have supported projects at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and the People’s History Museum in Manchester who are working with d/Deaf people, and other groups, to improve accessibility to their galleries and spaces.
Asked by: Baroness Debbonaire (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce barriers to entry for young deaf people in (a) sport and (b) other activities.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone, including d/Deaf people.
That is why, through our arm's length body, Sport England, we have provided £1.2 million between 2022 and 2027 to support deaf sport at the grassroots level, build wider participation, and develop strong governance within UK Deaf Sport.
Sport England are also exploring a series of small-scale talent pilots for d/Deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore these issues and suggest potential solutions.
The Government-funded School Games programme offers children the opportunity to take part in competitions in over 40 sports at local and regional level, including inclusive, modified versions of the sports. Since 2010, the School Games have offered 13.4 million participation opportunities for young people.
Outside of the school day, the £57 million investment in the Opening School Facilities programme allows schools to open their sport facilities outside of the core school hours. Up to 1350 schools across England have been targeted, with the funding aimed at having the most positive impact on their communities, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has supported a range of funding to help widen access to heritage. For example, in 2020 they supported Funky Kids to enable families of children with D/deafness or hearing impairments to take part in social activities that taught them about local heritage, traditions and skills passed down through generations.
Arts Councils across the UK are working together with the British Film Institute to launch a free, UK-wide arts access scheme, called ‘All-In’. The pilot of this scheme is set to launch in spring 2024. This scheme will operate across the UK in arts and cultural venues, for seamless, barrier-free booking which is responsive to individual circumstances and needs, including those who are d/Deaf.
DCMS investment is enabling important accessibility upgrades in cultural venues across the country, including via infrastructure grants to DCMS-sponsored cultural bodies. The joint DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, which is available to a wide range of museums and galleries across England, also has improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities as a core criterion. Recent grants have supported projects at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford and the People’s History Museum in Manchester who are working with d/Deaf people, and other groups, to improve accessibility to their galleries and spaces.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment the Government's has conducted on its decision in September 2020 to categorise NHS Ear Wax Removal Services as non-core for the purpose of services that must be provided by GP surgeries.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance no longer advising manual ear syringing due to the risks associated, such as trauma to the ear drum or infection. NICE guidance suggests alternative arrangements for treatment of excessive ear wax, such as considering ear irrigation using an electronic irrigator, micro suction, or another method of earwax removal, which could include manual removal using a probe.
General practitioner services follow this guidance and are increasingly recommending self-care methods as the primary means to support the safe removal of ear wax, such as in cases of deafness. Commissioners should ensure that there is appropriate access to ear wax removal services which are free at the point of use, where these are necessary and clinically appropriate for a patient.