§ 13. Sir Leonard Lyleasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will consider instructing the pilots of. our machines operating over British coasts not to fly low on approaching such coasts where this can be avoided, so that defensive action can be taken against enemy aeroplanes with the minimum of delay?
§ Sir A. SinclairI am afraid it would not be in the public interest to say more than I did in reply to the hon. Baronet's Question on 30th September.
§ Sir L. LyleWould it be going too far to ask my right hon. Friend whether such instructions could be given regarding low 1193 flying, so that every low-flying plane approaching the coast could be regarded as an enemy and many precious moments saved for the defences?
§ Sir A. SinclairI am sure that if I stated in this House this morning what the Commander-in-Chief's instructions were he would alter them this afternoon.
§ 14. Sir L. Lyleasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that in the case of the recent enemy attack on a village school whereby a number of young children were killed and injured, the plane skimmed the roofs of adjacent houses; and whether it was fired at by our troops and in what way?
§ Sir A. SinclairThe enemy aircraft in question operated in cloud cover and emerged only to drop its bombs. While over this country, it was engaged by antiaircraft batteries and was pursued by fighters; but weather conditions unfortunately enabled it to escape.