NEEDS OF THE DISABLED ON HIGHWAYS (Hansard, 1 May 1981)

§ Mr. Dafydd Wigley (Caernarvon)
I am grateful for the opportunity, even at this late stage, to put on record the opportunity that has been afforded me to bring forward a Bill to benefit disabled people in this International Year of Disabled People.
I am appreciative of the help received from numerous people over the last few weeks in getting the Bill this far, not least the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) and the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) of the all-party disablement group, the former Minister with responsibility for the disabled, the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris), the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones), the sponsors of my Bill, outside groups such as RADAR and the Wales Council for the Disabled, and Mr. Peter Large, with the Silver Jubilee Committee, who has done much campaigning over the years.
The Bill is limited. Clause 1 deals with matters relating to improving the place on the highway, especially the pavements, for disabled people, shielding them from such things as impediments on the pavements. Obviously, at this late stage, it is not possible to go into the details of the Bill——

§ The Chairman
Order. The hon. Gentleman should be dealing with the needs of the disabled on highways and not indulging in a general debate.

§ Mr. Wigley
I say no more, Mr. Weatherill.

§ The Minister for Social Security (Mr. Hugh Rossi)
The Government welcome the Bill in its present form. I am glad that it has been possible for the Government to give the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) assistance in putting the Bill into a correct form. I hope that the measure will prove to be of real value to disabled people in this International Year of Disabled People, although we appreciate that we have not gone as far as we would have liked.