ANNUAL REPORT ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK (Hansard, 27 May 1970)

§ Mr. Alfred Morris
I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

§ Mr. Speaker
We can also take Amendments Nos. 33 and 34.

§ Mr. Morris
As did the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Astor) on the access Clauses, my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) has taken a very distinguished part in the discussions on this Clause, and I hope it may be possible for him briefly to catch your eye, Mr. Speaker—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. It is not impossible for any hon. Gentleman to appeal to the Speaker that someone else should catch his eye. An hon. Member can catch my eye if he rises and nobody else is rising and if he speaks to the Amendment.

§ Mr. Lewis Carter-Jones (Eccles)
I thank you for your indulgence. I shall not speak for long. We have had experience of people wasting time tonight—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman must come to the Amendment.

§ Mr. Carter-Jones
We all owe a debt of gratitude to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Alfred Morris) and to the hon. Members for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and Newbury (Mr. Astor). This will be an all-party Bill.
My hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe said that this was a charter for the disabled. So it is, but it is also a beginning. Mr. Duncan Guthrie said on the radio today that this was the largest single step forward ever achieved for the disabled, but it is only a start.
The hon. Member for Banbury and I, who have been interested in the use of technology for the disabled, are delighted that this Clause has been moved in the other place. It recognises that disability can come at any age in a person's life, and will enable the elderly to have all the advantages of the new technology. If there is no cure for old age, at least people should be allowed to grow old gracefully, to control their environment, to have mobility and to communicate with other people. I strongly commend the Amendment.