HC Deb 09 February 1971 vol 811 cc151-2W
Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state what progress has been made towards the implementation of Section 20 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, which provides for the use of invalid carriages on highways.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

As my right hon. Friend told my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Evelyn King) on 2nd November last the appropriate Regulations came into operation on 29th September, 1970.—[Vol. 805, c. 287–288.]

Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state what progress has been made towards the implementation of Section 14 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, which provides for the appointment of a person with experience of disability on transport users' consultative committees.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Nominees proposed by the Central Council for the Disabled have so far been appointed to six transport users' consultative committees and one to the Central Transport Consultative Committee.

Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state what progress has been made towards the implementation of Section 10 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, which provides for representation of the chronically sick and disabled on housing advisory committees.

Mr. Channon

The Secretary of State for Wales and my right hon. Friend have appointed Lady Masham to be a member of the Central House Advisory Committee.

Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state what progress has been made towards the implementation of Section 15 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970, which provides for the co-option of chronically sick and disabled persons to local authority committees.

Mr. Graham Page

The attention of all local authorities has been drawn to Section 15, and to other provisions in the Act, by a joint circular dated 17th August, 1970, from the Departments principally concerned. I have no doubt that, when exercising their discretion on this point, local authorities will have regard—as the Section requires—to the desirability of co-opting persons with relevant experience onto any committee dealing with matters in which the chronically sick or disabled have special needs.