§ 6. Mr. REMERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the number of fatal accidents and injuries among British visitors to Swiss mountain and pleasure resorts, he will inquire of the Swiss Government 754 whether their public authorities would be willing to institute closer supervision of mountain excursions and sports?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)I do not think this is a good suggestion. The Swiss authorities may be relied on to leave nothing undone which is likely to promote the well-being of these visitors, and the best protection against mountain accidents is to realise what the dangers are.
§ Sir ASSHETON POWNALLIs my right hon. Friend aware that as far as can be ascertained there has been no fatal accident to British visitors in Switzerland this year? The only accident has been in Austria.
§ M. GLOSSOPWould my right hon. Friend say whether he has any idea of the kind of supervision that he is asked to obtain
§ Sir J. SIMONI recall that Tartarin when climbing the Jungfrau was under the impression that there was a Swiss agent at the bottom of every crevasse. As to the question of my hon. Friend the Member for East Lewisham (Sir A. Pownall), we draw no distinction in this matter between various parts of Europe where there are winter sports.