§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the total number of motor invalid tricycles with manually-operated gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled National Health Service patients in England; and if he will name the main types of disability suffered by the recipients;
(2) what is the total number of motor invalid tricycles with automatic gearbox, Model 70, which are currently on issue to disabled National Health Service patients in England; and if he will name the main types of disability suffered by the recipients;
(3) what is the total number of electrically-propelled invalid tricycles which are currently on issue to disabled National Health Service patients in England; and if he will list the main types of disability suffered by the recipients;
(4) what is the total number of motor invalid tricycles with manually-operated gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England;
(5) what is the total number of invalid tricycles, Model 70, with automatic gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England;
(6) what is the total number of electrically-propelled invalid tricycles which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England;
(7) what is the total number of adapted four-wheel cars and travellers with manually-operated gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled National Health Service patients in England; and if he will name, with sub-totals, the main types of disabilities suffered by the recipients.
(8) what is the total number of adapted four-wheeled cars and travellers with automatic gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled National Health Service patients in England; and if he will name, with sub-totals, the main types of disabilities suffered by the recipients;
(9) what is the total number of adapted four-wheeled cars and travellers with manually-operated gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England;
87W(10) what is the total number of adapted four-wheel cars and travellers with with automatic gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England;
(11) what is the total number of adapted four-wheel cars and travellers with manually-operated gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England, for use by a nominated driver;
(12) what is the total number of adapted four-wheel cars and travellers with automatic gearbox which are currently on issue to disabled war pensioners in England, for use by a nominated driver.
§ Mr. AlisonAn analysis of the information in the form requested would call for disproportionate effort. At 31st March 1973 the following vehicles were on issue to disabled people in England:
Invalid three-wheeler with manual gear change 12,499 Invalid three-wheeler with automatic gear change 4,032 Invalid three-wheeler propelled electrically 1,851 Motor cars with manual gear change 6,700 Motor cars with automatic gear change 925 The main causes of disability are: Nervous: cardial vascular: bone and respiratory diseases: arthritis: amputation: fractured spine and congenital abnormalities.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total number of accidents reported in 1970–71 and 1971–72 in which motor invalid tricycles with manually-operated gearbox, motor invalid tricycles with automatic gearbox, and electrically-propelled invalid tricycles, respectively, were involved.
§ Mr. AlisonThe following is the information for the years ended 30th September:
The figures include minor incidents such as damage caused by scraping a gatepost.
1971 1972 3-Wheelers with manual gear change 4,542 4,207 3-Wheelers with automatic gearbox change — 438 Electrically - propelled 3-Wheelers 145 238
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the 88W Model 70 invalid tricycle conforms to the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulation 19, relating to the constructions and location of petrol tanks; what was the number of accidents in 1972 in which the frontally-mounted petrol tank fractured on impact; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonThe regulation does not eliminate the need for expert judgment and I have sought the advice from my Department's engineers. They have been in touch with the advisers to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, following which design changes are under consideration. The form of the accident statistics does not permit a precise answer regarding fracture experience but the indications are that this has been a very rare occurrence.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of invalid tricycles supplied by his Department which have caught fire when involved in accidents in the years 1970, 1971 and 1972, respectively.
§ Mr. AlisonThe statistics embrace all incidents involving any degree of burning and do not, for example, distinguish between the damage to the electrical equipment itself and that which spread elsewhere. For the earlier two years, when the numbers were eight and ten respectively, it is not known whether the cause was an accident. In 1972 there were 16 such incidents, one of which resulted from an accident.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he has taken any recent action to reinforce the structure of all invalid tricycles issued to the disabled by his Department;
(2) if he has taken any recent action to improve the interior safety features of the AC, Invacar and Tippen invalid tricycles as issued to the disabled by his Department, following the reports of the Consumers Association magazine, Which? in August 1969 and March 1972; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will take action to reduce the noise levels in the AC, Invacar and Tippen invalid tricycles, including Model 70.
89W
§ Mr. AlisonDesign modifications relating to these and other characteristics affecting future production are under consideration as part of on-going developments in the light both of research and service experience. Different considerations apply to obsolescent vehicles in service.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has supported the exclusion of the AC and Invacar Model 70 invalid tricycles from the safety provision of Construction and Use Regulation 15 relating to the fitting of burst-proof door latches and hinges; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonThe Department's invalid three-wheelers, in common with all other vehicles having only sliding doors, are included in one of a number of categories of vehicles to which the regulation does not apply.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has supported the exclusion of AC, Invacar and Tippen invalid tricycles from the safety provisions of Construction and Use Regulation 16 relating to energy-absorbing steering columns; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonIn order to be able to provide the variety of steering differences to meet the needs of individual disabled users. Experience indicates that the vehicles are in this as in other respects not dangerous.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has excluded A.C., Invacar and Tippen invalid tricycles from the safety provisions of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations relating to impact tests; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonI am advised that there is no Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulation relating specifically to impact.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken in the light of the wind gust tests on the Model 70 invalid tricycle, which were carried out in scientific conditions by the School of Automotive 90W Studies at the Cranfield Institute of Technology; and if he will now publish the results of any similar tests carried out for his Department by the Motor Industry Research Association at Nuneaton.
§ Mr. AlisonFollowing the Cranfield tests, some features of which were not entirely satisfactory, my right hon. Friend arranged independent tests by the Motor Industry Research Association. It is not the practice to publish results of such tests.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken to assess the behaviour of the standard AC, Invacar and Tippen invalid tricycles in wind gust tests; and if he will now publish the results of any tests carried out.
§ Mr. AlisonIt is not clear that there would be any advantage in testing in this way vehicles which are of designs no longer in production and which have been proved to be safe and reliable in service
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the protection afforded to disabled drivers of the AC, Invacar and Tippen tricycles provided by his Department in the event of, respectively, a frontal impact, a side impact and a roll-over impact; on the basis of what tests he has come to that conclusion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonYes, in the light of many years' experience in service.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that there is sufficient room in the invalid tricycles issued by his Department to the disabled for carrying a wheelchair without risk of affecting the steering.
§ Mr. AlisonYes, provided the wheel-chair is selected with due regard to the form of steering of the particular vehicle.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the sliding seat mechanisms in the invalid tricycles issued by his Department are sufficiently secure to prevent them breaking loose while the vehicle is in motion.
§ Mr. AlisonYes, if used sensibly.
91W
§ Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the report of Baroness Sharp's Committee on the mobility of the disabled.
§ Mr. AlisonEarly in the New Year.