Motability (Hansard, 9 December 1998)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)
My Lords, the Motability scheme has turned around the lives of many thousands of disabled people by giving them mobility with a car of their own. I thank my noble friend Lord Morris, who did so much to establish the Motability scheme under the auspices of our then Prime Minister, my noble friend Lord Callaghan. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the noble 930 Lord, Lord Sterling, who has been so committed to the scheme. Today the Motability scheme celebrates its 21st anniversary. It has come of age.

§ Lord Morris of Manchester
My Lords, my noble friend will know that replacing the invalid tricycle with the mobility allowance and Motability was one of my sterner tests as the first Minister for Disabled People. Is she aware that Motability has now issued its millionth car? And would she agree that, as we celebrate its 21st birthday today, we should honour the memory of the late Lord Goodman, its founder chairman; warmly acknowledge the immense contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Sterling, to this uniquely British and hugely successful partnership between the public and private sectors; and also pay tribute to people like George Wilson and Peter Large of the voluntary sector, without whose help Motability could never have been created?

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
Yes, my Lords. I would certainly like to join my noble friend in expressing my thanks to those who were so important in the foundation of Motability. As my noble friend has said, something like 360,000 cars are now on the road. Motability is the largest leasing scheme by far in Europe and takes up something like 6 per cent. of all new cars in the UK market. If the House will indulge me, I will quote from David of Cardiff, who suffered a prolapse of part of his spine and therefore could not work. He acquired a specially adapted Ford car through Motability and, as a result, was able to get and hold down a job. He wrote to us saying: Going to work means social integration, the discipline of getting up and something to get up for, a reason to feel good at the end of the day … There is no reason why a disabled person cannot hold their head up in the world of work side by side with an able bodied person". That was made possible for him by a Motability car.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware of the valuable role that the Motability scheme plays in enabling severely disabled people to travel to and from work, and that, for them, having a job may well depend upon having such transport arrangements?

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, I am delighted that the noble Lord so agrees with my previous answer.

§ Lord Ashley of Stoke
My Lords, anything that my noble friend can do to help disabled people with cars will be greatly appreciated. But, for those without cars who rely upon public transport, can my noble friend tell us what discussions the Government have had with the bus and rail companies with a view to making their services accessible to disabled people? If there were any discussions and such discussions were fruitless, will the Government consider applying pressure on these organisations?

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, the Government have good news on this front. It is more a matter for the Department of the Environment, 931 Transport and the Regions but, as I understand it, all new trains due to be brought into use from 1st January 1999—that is in a month's time—will be appropriately adapted so that all disabled people can have access to them. New buses, starting with the large single-decker buses, will be appropriately adapted from the year 2000. I understand that new taxis will be appropriately adapted, probably from the year 2002. Consultations are ongoing between the Disabled Persons Transport and Access Committee and the manufacturers and operators. Clearly it may take up to 15 years before the existing stock has been fully replaced with the new vehicles, but the progress, with consent, I think is very good news.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, with the new idea of stopping private cars coming into city centres and allowing in only public transport, will special consideration be given to disabled people to allow them to bring in their adapted cars? Otherwise, they will be at a loss.

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, it is customary that where, for example, only public transport and taxis are permitted on streets people with, if not orange, then at least green disability badges are also permitted. However, I shall write to the noble Baroness and try to give her the assurance that she seeks.

§ The Earl of Lauderdale
My Lords, can the noble Baroness tell the House whether the scheme applies to those who are temporarily disabled?

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, Motability cars are available primarily for those who have a long-term impairment and are therefore eligible for the mobility higher allowance. One of the good pieces of news which I am sure your Lordships will welcome is that in the proposed welfare reform Bill we will extend mobility payments to children aged three and four so that when those children who have heavy equipment, like polio equipment and so on, need access, their parents will he able to join the Motability scheme. But Motability is designed essentially for people who have long-term mobility problems.

§ Lord Sterling of Plaistow
My Lords, perhaps I may take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind words. There are many people present who have been involved. The scheme started under the government of the noble Lord, Lord Callaghan. A very key person—a splendid man—was the late Lord Ennals. The noble Lord, Lord Jenkin of Roding, the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis of Heigham, in her former role, the noble Lord, Lord Newton of Braintree, and of course the noble Baroness, Lady Masham of Ilton, have all played a role. As the late Lord Goodman himself said—

Noble Lords
Question!

§ Lord Sterling of Plaistow
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it is the unsung heroes, thousands of them over the years, who help the disabled when their 932 cars break down and help them in their travels, who deserve credit? A family revolves round a disabled person and helps to give them a new future.

§ Baroness Hollis of Heigham
My Lords, I very much welcome the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Sterling. It is certainly true that when one has a disabled person one very often has a disabled family. The disability is borne by all members of the family, as many noble Lords will know. The mobility scheme, extended with the introduction of DLA in 1992, and Motability cars have given disabled people independence so that they are no longer continually dependent on being looked after by members of their family, however generously and gracefully that service has been offered. It has been a major transformation for disabled people to have the independence that most of us here today take for granted.