§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in view of his statement that the invalid three-wheeler tricycles are highly dangerous, he is ordering a further 2,000 of these vehicles.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisMy right hon. Friend has made no such statement; but he is concerned, as I am, about the accident statistics relating to the tricycle. A report on road accidents published by the Department of Transport showed that, on average, tricycle drivers are three times as much at risk of injury in any one year as car drivers in general, and that the risk per mile is seven times greater. When my right hon. Friend announced, last July—[Vol. 915, c. 2229– 42]—the decision to phase out production of the tricycle, he drew attention to these figures. He also pointed out that the risks were relatively greater for new tricycle drivers than for experienced drivers. The intention to place one more order for tricycles, which was necessary to ensure the continuing supply of replacement vehicles for existing drivers, was announced on the same occasion. The order placed last year was for 1,500 tricycles—not 2,000—which are being supplied in the current financial year.