HC Deb 02 December 1963 vol 685 cc772-4
32. Sir J. Langford-Holt

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the danger to life which arises in the case of fire to an invalid car where there is no passenger; and if he will now allow passengers to be carried.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Bernard Braine)

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to powered tricycles. The carriage of passengers is an offence under Regulations recently approved by Parliament and my right hon. Friend has no discretion in the matter. Experience shows that the risk of injury from firs is not significant.

Sir J. Langford-Holt

Will my hon. Friend examine this matter again with a view to providing a vehicle in which a passenger can be carried, whether it is called a powered tricycle or something else? Failing this, will he examine the possibility of making a cash allowance to those who provide it themselves? Further, will he rest assured that I can bring to his notice an example of where a person's life was saved only by the intervention of a passer-by?

Mr. Braine

We are always prepared to look at the appliances which my hon. Friend makes available to National Health Service patients, and research and inquiry are going on into this very question. I will certainly look at what my hon. Friend has to show me. I think I ought to say that there were nine cases of fires in invalid tricycles in the past year out of 14,000 such vehicles in use. In no case was the disabled person injured. All new powered tricycles issued during the last four years has been equipped with fire extinguishers.

Sir J. Langford-Holt

Is my hon. Friend aware that research and inquiry simply are not good enough for this problem? Everybody agrees that this should be done, and it is possible to do it. Will he take a stronger attitude?

Mr. Braine

Research and inquiry always precede action—[Interruption.] I have already indicated to my hon. Friend that my right hon. Friend will certainly be looking into this matter.

Mrs. Braddock

Is the Joint Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is not only a question of fire? If an invalid tricycle breaks down, at present there is only one person in it—the invalid. Did not his Department receive a few years ago a request from the Invalid Tricycle Association, now the Disabled Drivers' Association, that agreement should be given to a competent person being present with a disabled driver?

Mr. Braine

I am well aware of all those considerations. This matter will have to be considered. Adding a passenger tends to turn a tricycle into a motor car. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] It involves examining the whole question of what kind of vehicle should be provided for National Health Service patients.

Mr. Paget

Is not the real answer that it would be just as cheap, taxation matters aside, to provide two-seater cars as it is to provide invalid tricycles, that the taxation matter is merely one pocket to another in the Government, and that it would be much better for all concerned and safer if invalids had two-seater cars? Why can we not pass on to that policy?

Forward to