§ 37. Mr. DORANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether his attention has been drawn to the loss of life to air passengers, due to the absence of live-saving devices in passenger air- 1024 craft; if he will introduce legislation making it compulsory on all passenger air-services to carry safety devices; and if, in order to meet the expense of such installation, he is prepared to grant a subsidy to these services?
§ Sir P. SASSOONI am unable to agree with my hon. Friend that there has been preventable loss of life on passenger air services arising from the absence of lifesaving devices. The existing regulations require that life-belts must be carried by public transport aircraft on flights at any point of which the aircraft will be more than 10 miles from land. As at present advised, my Noble Friend does not consider further regulations on the subject desirable.