§ 30. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Pensions what progress he has made to date towards extending the existing regulations for the provision of motor-tricycles to pensioners whose legs have been amputated below, instead of above, the knee.
The Minister of Pensions (Mr. Heath-coat Amory)I regret that it has not been found possible at the present time to extend the provision for the supply of motor-tricycles beyond the categories of severely disabled war pensioners referred to in my reply to the hon. and learned Member on 3rd March.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Minister realise that his continued refusal to grant this concession is imposing great and continuing injury on a large number of people who have suffered the loss of legs below the knee, and that the discrimination between them and those who have lost a leg above the knee is artificial and unfair? Will he do something about it?
Mr. AmoryAs the hon. and learned Member knows, this very difficult problem was considered carefully by the last Government before they decided on the present category. So far I have not been able to think of a fairer line to draw without creating a good many more anomalies. If an amputee with a double amputation below the knee needs a motor-tricycle in order to get to work, he is eligible for consideration. Alternatively, if his amputations are so severe as to amount to the loss of the use of both limbs, again he can be considered. I realise that this problem invokes the utmost sympathy from us all and, though the decision may have to be an adverse one, my Ministry—or perhaps in view of the Motion on the Order Paper today I should say the Government—will not close its mind permanently to this further consideration.