§ 1. Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that users in the Shrewsbury area of Delta invalid cars supplied by his Department have to be sent to Bilston, Staffordshire, for minor repairs; and whether he will take steps to arrange repair facilities in Shrewsbury.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Bernard Braine)No, Sir. Minor repairs can already be carried out in Shrewsbury.
§ Sir J. Langford-HoltCould my hon. Friend tell me the distinction between major and minor repairs, because this and other matters relevant to these tricycles should be given the widest possible publicity in the interests of users?
§ Mr. BraineI quite agree with what my hon. Friend has said. Work costing 2 less than £10 in labour charges can be done in any garage, and there are at least two garages in Shrewsbury which can handle this work. I have sent particulars to my hon. Friend.
§ 10. Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to make an annual cash allowance to invalids entitled to an invalid car from his Department, who buy their own cars because of the need to have a passenger travelling with them, equivalent to the annual cost of providing them with invalid cars.
§ Mr. BraineNo, Sir.
§ Sir J. Langford-HoltWill my hon. Friend give me the reasons for not accepting what I, at any rate, think is a very fair suggestion? Will he give an undertaking to look again at the whole question?
§ Mr. BraineThe reason is that my right hon. Friend has no power to give cash allowances to National Health Service patients. His function is to provide services. While I appreciate the point which my hon. Friend is making, I hardly think that it would be right to give priority to this benefit over other claims on any additional money which might be made available for transport for the disabled. The answer to the second question is "Yes".