§ Captain HAROLD BALFOUR (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that in the flying accident resulting in the death of Mr. Kenneth George Murray, at Marshalls Aerodrome, Cambridge Public Flying Display, on Saturday, a period of 20 minutes occurred before a doctor's services were procured, and that when the injured pilot had been extracted after 20 minutes work in the wreckage there was a further period of waiting before the ambulance arrived, and if he will investigate as to the circumstances of neither medical nor ambulance transport services being available for instant use and if he will state whether his Department had been consulted or had offered assistance in the organisation of this meeting, and if he will issue immediate regulations to prevent reoccurrence of such lack of safety facilities at all future public flying displays?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Mr. Montague)Inquiry is being made into the points mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member, but I should perhaps say that the display at which this regrettable accident occurred was a privately arranged meeting held at an aerodrome licensed for private use only. One of the conditions of the licence is that "adequate first-aid appliances must be kept at the aerodrome."
§ Captain BALFOURIs the hon. Gentleman aware that although this is an aerodrome for private use the public had to pay to enter? Secondly, has it not been the custom during past flying seasons for his Department to offer, on very advantageous, almost nominal, terms assistance to the organisers of all such displays, and was this assistance offered and accepted or refused in this instance?
§ Mr. MONTAGUEI can only say that we had no information of the meeting at all.