HC Deb 26 October 1977 vol 936 cc721-3W
Mr. Lomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the shortage of spares for invalid tricycles in the West Yorkshire area;

(2) what efforts are being made by his Department to ensure adequate spares are available for invalid tricycles such as exhausts and brakeshoes.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Over 2,000 spares items for the three-wheeler are stocked by the Department and supplied as free issues to approved repairers. At any time the vast majority of these parts are readily available from stock but occasionally, as happens generally in the motor trade, our suppliers are unable to deliver particular items.

The parts mentioned by my hon. Friend are in this category. Every effort has been and is being made to replenish stocks. Although additional manufacturing capacity of exhaust systems has been obtained, there have unfortunately been production delays and it is estimated that it will take about twelve weeks before the Department can get back to supplying these parts from stock. The shortage of brakeshoes arises from manufacturing difficulties with the bonding of the linings. My Department expects this technical difficulty to be overcome shortly and, in the meantime, local approved repairers may obtain an acceptable alternative shoe from local trade sources.

There are standing arrangements for the issue of an alternative vehicle to a three-wheeler user whose own vehicle is off the road. Six additional Model 70s have been allocated recently to the approved repairer serving the Huddersfield area and, so far as the Department is aware, no three-wheeler user in this area is at present immobilised. I would be glad of the opportunity to look at any individual case of difficulty of which my hon. Friend is aware.

My hon. Friend can be assured that these are temporary supply problems of a kind which can arise at any time and are not a consequence of the decision to phase out the three-wheeler.

Mr. Lomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when it is expected that invalid tricycles will be available for those who need them, in preference to the mobility allowance.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Since my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 23rd July 1976, three-wheelers are no longer issued to NHS patients who are eligible for mobility allowance. The allowance, which is shortly to be increased to £7 a week, is available to drivers and non-drivers alike. It is intended to help disabled people to meet their mobility needs in the way which suits them best. Disabled people under pensionable age, in age-groups which are not yet able to claim mobility allowance, may still be issued with three-wheelers. For those who received three-wheelers under the former vehicle scheme, we expect to be able to replace their vehicles, as they wear out, until 1982 or 1983.

My hon. Friend will be aware of my right hon. Friend's undertaking of 22nd June that he is "…determined to ensure that no one who has a trike issued under the old scheme is made immobile by the phasing out of the trike …"— [Vol. 915, c. 2229–31.]