§ Mr. SweeneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about progress on his consideration of recommendations made by the wheelchair advisory group set up in August 1996. [14083]
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesI am today announcing an extra £500,000 a year to improve the wheelchair provision in Wales. I have given careful consideration to the views and recommendations made by the wheelchair advisory group I set up in August 1996 and I have decided to accept its recommendations that additional resources should be 365W targeted towards providing electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs and expanding and improving the existing range of wheelchairs in Wales.
I expect the artificial limb and appliance service to be able to provide up to 300 electrically powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs in 1997–98.