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11.24 pm
Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen, South): I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Ian Stewart) for allowing me to contribute to his Adjournment debate. I applied for a similar Adjournment debate, but he got in first and was lucky enough to secure this debate tonight. I also wish to thank Mr. Speaker, who kindly hosted a reception to celebrate the 25 years of Motability in his chambers two weeks ago. It was a nice gesture that was much appreciated by the people involved.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles has said, I have to declare an interest. It does not appear in the Register of Members' Interests; it is a very personal one. I got my first Motability car in 1978 or 1979. It does not take a great arithmetical genius to realise that I must have had one of the first such cars. It was a 950 cc Ford Fiesta, which in those days people could get for nothing on a three-year leaseback. If they wanted something slightly more souped-up, they had to pay a small deposit.
I think that there were only three manufacturers involved in Motability in the early days. Ford was certainly one, and I think that Rover was another. I cannot remember the third. Choice was very limited, but the important thing was that these were real cars. For a disabled person to have access to a real car was quite revolutionary. Before that, the only vehicles that disabled people had access to were the infamous trikes, the light blue three-wheeled cars which were, in fact, positively dangerous. They were death traps. They chuntered along at a very low speed and were really quite embarrassing to be seen in—luckily, I did not have one. They stigmatised disabled people because they made them stand out.
I was a young teacher when I got my first Motability car, and I was soon to live 16 miles away from my place of work. I can only imagine how difficult that would have been if I had only had access to a trike. In all, I had three cars under the Motability scheme through the leaseback system, whereby the mobility allowance was surrendered and I got the car and all its maintenance thrown in. I also had two cars under the hire purchase scheme: it was important for me to be able to keep my cars longer as I became more disabled, because I had to spend more money on adapting them more elaborately.
The Motability scheme has evolved over the years. It is now possible to get second-hand cars and powered wheelchairs through the scheme. But the key, as my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles said, was the mobility allowance, which came in in 1976, round about the same time as I qualified for it. I was perhaps one of the babies of the mobility allowance generation. The greatest tribute that I have to pay is to the great visionary Alf Morris. It was his vision, determination and tenacity in persuading people that this was the way forward that achieved something quite revolutionary. If my hon. Friend the Minister can achieve even part of that in his time at the Department for Work and Pensions, he will have achieved a great deal. I cannot emphasise too strongly how much admiration I have for Alf Morris, and for the work that he did. He changed my life, and the lives of millions of others. We owe him a great debt, and I am delighted to have been able to repay that debt by being able to say this tonight.
11.28 pm
The Minister for Work (Mr. Desmond Browne): First, I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Ian Stewart) on securing this important and timely debate. He has an enviable reputation as a champion of disabled people, and it is fitting that he should have secured this opportunity for the House to mark the 25th anniversary of Motability. It is also fitting that the voice of my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Miss Begg) should have been heard today. If ever there was an embodiment of the celebration of capability, she is it.
I understand that yesterday the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) apologised for the fact that he was not the Foreign Secretary. Today it is my turn; I apologise for the fact that I am not the Minister with responsibility for disabled people. That distinction belongs to the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle). She is devastated that she cannot be here this evening but, unfortunately, she is unwell. My hon. Friends will know that she battled on against the symptoms of flu all evening in the hope that she could respond to this debate, but she succumbed at about 10 pm, when wisdom overcame her ambition to be here. If my hon. Friends recognise some of her passion and knowledge in the words of my speech, they will understand why.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles has reminded the House, Motability has its origins in the radical changes in mobility provision for disabled people that took place in the 1970s. Its formation was due to the determination of the late Lord David Ennals, and of Lord Morris of Manchester, who was then Minister with responsibility for disabled people. Indeed, as we have been reminded, he was the first such Minister. The then Prime Minister and Chancellor, Lord Callaghan and Lord Healey, must also get an honourable mention—the former for his staunch political support, the latter for relaxing what was described as "the corset", which limited liquidity in the banking system for lending. With the input of many others, too numerous to mention, they showed that a determination to improve opportunities for mobility for disabled people can be translated into effective action.
As we have been reminded, in January 1976, the Government introduced the mobility allowance that provided cash help with mobility at the rate of £4 a week for all those between five and pensionable age who had a disability severely affecting mobility, whether or not they were able to drive a car. I am sure that my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South could tell us just us how much could be done with £4 a week at that time. It was, however, clear from the outset that the mobility allowance alone would not be sufficient to enable disabled people without any other resources to obtain a car. The solution was found in the form of a leasing scheme on preferential terms that would bring the acquisition of a car within the reach of most people receiving the allowance, but would also be backed up by charitable help for those for whom the allowance and their own resources still left a suitable car out of reach.
Given that brief, the late Lord Goodman and Mr. Jeffrey, now Lord, Sterling combined their considerable business expertise to devise the charity now known as Motability, and a leasing scheme to be operated by Motability Finance Ltd., a special company working exclusively for Motability and formed by a consortium of the major clearing banks. The formation of Motability was announced in Parliament on 6 December 1977 by the late Lord Ennals and was welcomed by Mr. Patrick, now Lord, Jenkin on behalf
of the Opposition. The all-party support expressed at the outset has remained fundamental to Motability ever since.The late Lord Goodman, founder of Motability, described the scheme as
- "a splendid example of a mixed economy".
Motability was indeed born out of a spirit of partnership and co-operation between public, private and voluntary sectors, and it is a partnership that has survived the test of time. That was very much in evidence only two weeks ago, when parliamentarians joined patrons, governors, members of Motability and representatives of disability organisations at a reception kindly hosted by Mr. Speaker in celebration of Motability's 25th anniversary year. Together, those groups have worked tirelessly to make Motability the success it undoubtedly is. On that occasion, I recollect, Lord Morris was keen to identify those who have made Motability possible and whose commitment and enthusiasm has continued over the years. However, I cannot let this opportunity pass without expressing my deep personal gratitude and admiration for all that Lord Morris achieved. It was his initiative as Minister for disabled people that led to the creation of Motability. I know and, indeed, heard on that night, that he has remained passionate in his support for the work that Motability has undertaken ever since.
The first Motability car was supplied in 1978—I have no idea whether it was the one driven by my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South, but she must certainly have received one of the first. Since then, the scheme has gone from strength to strength. During the past 25 years, over 1.5 million cars have been provided to disabled people and their families. Motability now has four different schemes to help disabled people obtain a car using either contract hire or hire purchase agreements. There is also a scheme for the purchase of powered wheelchairs and pavement scooters. Currently, almost 400,000 people and their families benefit from the scheme that allows them to transfer all or part of their higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or war pensioners' mobility supplement to Motability.
In honour of Motability's 25th anniversary, Her Majesty the Queen, as chief patron of the charity, presented the keys to six new vehicles to Motability customers at the royal mews on 25 June 2003. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was there, and she was especially impressed by a lively little girl called Gemma. My hon. Friend told all of us in the Department that she had greatly enjoyed talking to Gemma.
I am told that the vehicles on show were also interesting. They included a highly adapted van that will allow its owner to drive directly from a wheelchair, while ensuring that he remains fully independent and able to enjoy the freedom and mobility that other young people of his age take for granted. There was also a new wheelchair-accessible vehicle that will enable Gemma to travel comfortably with her family while remaining seated in her wheelchair. Provision of both those vehicles was made possible by the Government's specialised vehicles fund, to which I will refer later.
The keys presented on that very special day will enable families to enjoy days out together and allow individuals to access work and pursue their leisure interests. They will be used by their owners to undertake voluntary work in the community. They are keys to inclusion, and they illustrate that this scheme is making a very real difference to the lives of many disabled people and their families.
Of course, no scheme is without its critics, and Motability has not been complacent in addressing the concerns raised by its customers. This year, there has been a major restructuring of the scheme, aimed at improving customer service and providing greater flexibility in terms of lease agreements and mileage allowances.
Nor can Motability remain immune from the effects of market forces that operate within the business world. Over the past few years, Motability has had to face the dual challenge of the weakness of the used-car market and the uncertainties and rising prices of the insurance market. In this climate, the charity has worked hard to continue to provide a choice of vehicles for its customers, while striving to keep costs down wherever possible.
Motability is keen to remain in the forefront of advances in technology. At Wrightington mobility centre, Motability has contributed to the design and development of a static assessment rig. The work has also been funded by the Motability tenth anniversary trust. As well as at Wrightington, these rigs have also been supplied to all the other members of the forum of mobility centres.
The rigs use world-leading technology to allow driving assessments to be carried out. This type of assessment can help restore the confidence to drive of those faced with disability later in life as the result of illness or accident. It allows their capabilities to be established, rather than highlighting what they cannot do. It helps to identify what adaptations would help them to drive, and it can be instrumental in restoring the driving licence to those who, perhaps after a stroke, have had to relinquish it.
This year, the Government will be contributing more than £7 million towards the specialised vehicles funds that I mentioned earlier, to assist severely disabled people who need something more than a standard production vehicle to maintain their mobility. These funds are administered by Motability on behalf of the Government, and are complementary to the Motability scheme.
Last year, Motability was able to help more than 800 people in this way, with highly specialised adaptations. I know, from my experience of talking to those who have received grants towards adapted vehicles, how highly they value the technical expertise and professionalism shown by the staff of Motability in assessing their needs and in tailoring the vehicles to their requirements. Some of the adaptations made to allow people to drive from their wheelchairs are at the cutting edge of technology, and open up the possibility of driving to people who, in years past, could not hope to aspire to that.
Motability prides itself on keeping up to date with the considerable technological advances in the field of motor manufacturing and it strives hard to promote the needs of disabled drivers and passengers in this forum. It works with car manufactures to make them more aware of disabled people's needs, and encourages them to reflect those needs in new designs. It has already achieved some successes in that area, and I expect that more will be done as new generations of vehicles come on stream.
Motability is itself an independent charity and works hard to secure support and funding to help applicants who need financial support towards advance payments on vehicles, driving lessons or specialist adaptations. I know that that work is supported by motor manufacturers and many other groups, which work tirelessly to support Motability.
In conclusion, I should like to take this opportunity to thank Lord Sterling, the chairman of Motability, and all the other governors of Motability, for all that they do. I express my gratitude to Noel Muddiman, the director of Motability, and the staff of Motability and Motability Operations without whose behind-the-scenes contributions the work of Motability could not be undertaken.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles has already told the House, there is no parallel to this unique scheme in any other country of the world—
The motion having been made after Seven o'clock, and the debate having continued for half an hour, Madam Deputy Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
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