§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many orange badge holders were registered in England and Wales for the year 1988; and what is his Department's projected figure for 1991 under the new proposals.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 13 July 1990]: According to information supplied by local authorities, whose task it is to administer the scheme, about 930,000 badges were in circulation in England and Wales in March 1988.
Changes currently proposed to the regulations are designed to ensure that badges are issued only to those people who most need them. The scheme is not being modified with any specific target in mind for the number of badge holders.