HC Deb 17 May 1977 vol 932 cc120-1W
Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further efforts he is making to find a suitable vehicle for use by the disabled when the invalid tricycle is phased out.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Many projects aimed at producing vehicles for the disabled are currently in progress. We are, of course, keeping in touch with all of these projects. I have myself recently inspected several of them. My Department and the Department of Transport are considering what further research is desirable to pick out and encourage, among the many possible lines of development, those which have the best prospects of effectively meeting the needs of disabled people. At the same time, we are in touch with the EEC Commission to explore the possibilities of co-operation in this field between member States. In all of this we have in mind, first, the eventual need to provide for those among existing tricycle drivers who will still need a specialised vehicle when their tricycles can no longer be replaced, and secondly, the need to encourage developments which could lead to a better choice of specialised vehicles or adaptations to production cars becoming commercially available to disabled people generally.

Mr. Corbett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assurances he can give that disabled drivers will not be immobilised by the phasing out of the invalid tricycle.

Mr. Alfred Morris

We now expect to be able to maintain tricycle supplies at least until 1982, perhaps until 1983, with many vehicles lasting very much longer than that. Moreover, we accept that there will be people still needing a specialised vehicle when their tricycles can no longer be replaced after 1982 or 1983. We are keeping in touch with a number of prototypes and, as my right hon. Friend made clear following his statement in the House on 23rd July 1976, the Government are pledged to look at what is available on home and world markets to help such people. Our aim is to make sure that no one who is now mobile is made immobile by the phasing-out of the tricycle. My right hon. Friend gave the assurance in a letter he sent last December to all drivers of tricycles issued under the pre-1976 vehicle scheme and, in the course of the Supply debate on mobility for the disabled on 26th April, he gave a firm undertaking to stand by that assurance.—[Vol. 915, c. 2229–31.]