§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the full accident statistics relating to invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission, electrically propelled models and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, in Engand for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974 and 1975, respectively, listing the information under the categories as supplied by her Department for publication in Motor magazine on 14th August 1974.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI regret that I am not yet able to give my hon. Friend a full reply, but will do so as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what dates, respectively, modifications were introduced to incorporate the fitment of full sound insulation material, incorporation of handlebar and tiller crash pads and rollover structural bars, respectively, to the Model 70 invalid tricycle, listing the number of vehicles which incorporate these respective modifications; and on what date they will be fully incorporate into the 21,000 tricycles now in use.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisIt is hoped to start fitting interior sound insulation in the driver's compartment of new production vehicles shortly. The test programme to devise suitable rollover protection is in its final stages. It will not be practicable to introduce these modifications retrospectively. Approximately 4,200 Model 70s with tiller or bicycle steering produced since July 1974 comply 49W fully with the requirements of the regulation relating to the protection of the driver from steering mechanism intrusion. Recent trials have shown that the fitting of crashpads to the Model 70 with bicycle steering, which is the type normally fitted, actually increased the force on the dummy during the test causing the vehicle to fail the test, whereas without the pad it passed. In the case of the tiller steering model, the pad did not result in a significant improvement. In the circumstances this modification is not being incorporated.