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Disabled Persons (Vehicles)

Volume 930: debated on Tuesday 19 April 1977

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asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the annual administration costs incurred by his Department in supplying and running an invalid three-wheeler.

Records of administration costs are not kept in a way which permit this kind of analysis. Any estimate is, therefore, both difficult and of limited validity. Fewer than 50 officials are employed exclusively on the work. Well over 1,000 officials, medical, technical and administrative, are involved to some extent in various relevant aspects of the administration, but some only occasionally and to a minute extent. Many of those most closely involved deal with the administration of the vehicle service as a whole, embracing provision of motor cars and wheelchairs as well as invalid three wheelers. Making reasonable assumptions about the apportionment of staff activity, the cost per vehicle in the fleet for the financial year just ended works out at about £60; but as explained above this figure is, of necessity, imprecise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of those who, since 1st January 1977, no longer qualify for an invalid vehicle but who would have become so qualified in each of the four years 1977 to 1980;(2) what is his latest estimate of the number of those who would have qualified for an invalid vehicle if the previous system had continued but who now no longer do so.

No estimate has been, or can be, made, but the number of disabled people who were found eligible for invalid tricycles in 1975, the last year of the vehicle scheme, was 2,279. Of these, 502 were over pension age. Of those under pension age, 324 were qualified only because they needed a vehicle to get to and from work, or to work as a housewife. They qualified in category 3 which has no counterpart under the present scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the cost of replacing the Invacar is at present exceeded by the cost of the cheapest practical alternative vehicle.

The requirements of a vehicle to provide personal mobility for disabled people are varied and no single alternative vehicle, which would meet the needs of all such people, is currently available. The cost of any alternative vehicle would depend on its design and I am keeping in touch with a number of development projects; I made a statement on this in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 8th March.—[Vol. 927, c. 466.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received, since his statement last July, from individuals, and how many from organisations, on the subject of the proposed phasing out of the Invacar.

My right hon. Friend and I have received some 2,800 letters written from different points of view on this subject. The numbers received from individuals and organisations have not been separately recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with Ministers of other countries of the European Economic Community about the production and financing of suitable vehicles for the severely disabled.

None with Ministers of member States, but I have raised the matter in discussion with the appropriate EEC Commissioner, and officials are following up this approach.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, after discussions with the manufacturers of alternative vehicles, he can now give an undertaking that the Invacar will not be phased out without the provision of a suitable alternative vehicle.

My right hon. Friend and I have already assured the drivers of tricycles issued under the old vehicle scheme that we expect to be able to maintain tricycle supplies for them, at least until 1981, and that we shall be looking on home and world markets to help those who will still need a specialised vehicle when their tricycles can no longer be replaced. Our aim is to ensure that no one who is now mobile is made immobile by the phasing out of the tricycle.