asked the Minister of Health what action is being taken by local authorities to help the deaf to learn lip-reading under the provisions of Section 29 (4) (b) of the National Assistance Act, 1948.

Schemes for the exercise by local authorities of their powers under Section 29 of the National Assistance Act have as yet been approved only in respect of the blind and partially sighted. I am in consultation with my Advisory Council for the Welfare of Handicapped Persons and the Local Government Associations on the possibility, under present conditions, of schemes to cover other classes of handicapped persons including the deaf.