LIP-READING CLASS FEES

That this House congratulates the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on its support for the nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK; understands how important it is to assist people to learn how to lip-read, and that this is the main way they can communicate in the workplace and in accessing services and socialising; congratulates those councils that provide free classes but notes with concern the high cost of lip-reading classes imposed by some councils, which can exclude vulnerable groups; and therefore calls on the Government to review its policy and guidance to local authorities to enforce common standards of provision around the UK and to ensure that costs are minimised and no groups of deaf or hard of hearing people are excluded from learning lip-reading.