asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many registered hearing aid dispensers are employed in the private sector; and [HL958]

What estimate they have made of the total number of people in need of digital hearing aids; and how many of these already have hearing aids fitted. [HL959]

Information on the number of private hearing aid dispensers is not held centrally.

We have made no estimate of the number of people in need of digital hearing aids or how many of these already have hearing aids fitted.

The total number of people waiting for an audiological assessment has fallen from 140,000 in March 2007 to 81,000 in October 2007.