HC Deb 04 November 1975 vol 899 cc87-8W
15. Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to ensure that those individuals currently using invalid cars will be able to keep these vehicles in the future with no greater difficulty or with no additional restrictions or disadvantages than applies under existing arrangements.

Mr. O'Malley

Those concerned will have reserved rights to retain the benefits of the present vehicle scheme. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for changing the conditions on which they hold their invalid tricycles.

Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will now invite the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to carry out an independent, confidential analysis for her of invalid tricycle accident report forms to determine the true incidence of accidents where the driver considered the design or defective mechanical condition of the vehicle to be a contributory factor, in the light of the Parliamentary Commissioner's and Drive magazine reports.

Mr. O'Malley

The latest information on accidents is being studied by my Department in consultation with the Depart- ment of the Environment and the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Details of the injury accidents in 1973–74 were given to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents last June, and I should be glad to study any comments it may offer. If it can suggest any way in which further study of accidents to invalid tricycles can contribute to greater safety for disabled drivers I should of course be very glad to consider it.

Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list the names and countries of origin of each firm, respectively, which currently supplies engines, automatic transmission and rear suspension parts for assembly into the model 70 invalid tricycle, listing whether her Department or AC Cars Limited placed the last contracts for the supply of such parts, respectively.

Mr. O'Malley

The engines are manufactured in Austria by Steyr-Daimler-Puch Limited. The automatic transmissions and rear suspension assemblies, made up by AC Cars Limited, include parts bought in by them from Salisbury Industries (USA) and Applicazioni Industriali Fiat Om (Italy).