Invalid Vehicles (Hansard, 24 November 1969)

§ 7. Mr. Marten
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposalshe has for disabled vehicles for haemophiliacs.

§ Dr. John Dunwoody
Haemophiliacs will continue to be given priority for the improved three-wheelers now available, and for those with automatic transmission in due course. The interiors are specially modified when necessary.

§ Mr. Marten
Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that haemophiliacs are a rather special case, in that internal bleeding and haemorrhage can come from a knock while driving three-wheeled vehicles? Will he look at this again, as the number of haemophiliacs who require vehicles is very small?

§ Dr. Dunwoody
I agree that in certain respects haemophiliacs present a special problem, but so do many other groups who claim three-wheeler vehicles or improvements in the present service. We provide extra padding in these vehicles when this is necessary, and I assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall take into account the claims of haemophiliacs, as we shall of the other groups, if the opportunity arises to extend this service.

§ 8. Mr. Marten
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on vehicles for disabled drivers.

§ Dr. John Dunwoody
My predecessor made a statement in reply to a number of Questions on 27th January. Production of 2,000 three-wheelers with improved suspension began in June, and 20 three-wheelers with automatic transmission will begin trials later this year. Full-scale production of the automatic three-wheeler is expected by the end of 1970.—[Vol. 776, c. 929–32.]

§ Mr. Marten
But is the hon. Gentleman aware of a recent case in my constituency where a disabled driver who was paralysed from the waist downwards spent 14 hours upside down in a ditch all night because his three-wheeler was blown off the road in a high wind? Does not that show the inherent instability of what one hon. Gentleman opposite has called a sardine tin on wheels? Will the hon.. Gentleman look at this again?

§ Dr. Dunwoody
If the hon. Gentleman will send me details of the case, I shall look into it. The accident record of these vehicles is exceptionally good, and no difficulty is found in obtaining insurance at normal rates for the drivers of them.

§ Mr. Peter M. Jackson
My hon. Friend knows that there has been much criticism of these vehicles by disabled people, and that that has been substantiated to some extent by the Consumer Association Which? report. Would he consider it proper to give a cash allowance in lieu to those disabled people who would like to purchase four-wheeled vehicles?

§ Dr. Dunwoody
That is a much wider question. I do not at the moment think that I should feel able to do that. We have to consider not only the people who have vehicles and who would like four-wheeled vehicles but all those denied any vehicles because of the criteria that we lay down. Nevertheless, the service is exceptional. We have the finest service in the world, and we are spending twice as much on it as we were five years ago.

§ Mr. Dean
I think that it was the Joint Under-Secretary of State who, in a previous incarnation, referred to a sardine tin on wheels. Can the hon. Gentleman say what is being done to make use of the new powers which Parliament has provided, both to improve the vehicles and to extend the categories of disabled people who can be provided with these vehicles?

§ Dr. Dunwoody
Improvements are constantly taking place in the vehicles, and, as the hon. Gentleman knows, we are bringing out a new vehicle with automatic transmission. The Which? investigation referred to has spoken very well of it. I think that we can look forward to this providing a very much better service to many people who are somewhat critical of today's three-wheeler vehicles.