HC Deb 24 February 1947 vol 433 cc1698-9
99. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement on the employment of aeroplanes to relieve villages in the Leek and Moorland areas which were cut off by snowdrifts.

Dr. Summerskill

On l0th and 11th February my Department received from Leek urgent calls for help for nine villages which were reported to have received no deliveries of food for about 10 days. It was known that bread and some other foods could not last more than a few days, so we decided that an attempt must be made at once to drop food by air. The co-operation of the Royal Air Force was secured, and on 12th February a single aircraft from Fairford made a successful reconnaissance flight and dropped food at Longnor, but the weather was so bad that no further flight was made that day. On the following day, the prospects of relief overland being no better, a second reconnaissance flight was made, but conditions were such that no food could be dropped, and, as the House will be aware, the aircraft making the attempt crashed with the loss of eight lives. The House will, I know, wish to express its profound sympathy with the relatives of those who lost their lives in this gallant attempt.

Mr. Davies

As the Press have given publicity to the fact that the villages were not short of food, will the Minister see that her statement gets due publicity, so that the public will know that these villages were in need of food at the time when the aircraft crashed?

Dr. Summerskill

Yes, Sir.

100. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Minister of Food how often his Department have approached other appropriate Departments with a view to supplying to local authorities, who have areas unapproachable due to snowdrifts, suitable military equipment which might be of use in such an emergency; and if he will make a statement.

Dr. Summerskill

I am not at all clear what military equipment my hon. Friend has in mind, but it would hardly come within the province of my Department to arrange for the provision of equipment for the clearing of blocked roads by local authorities. Arrangements have, of course, been made for Army Commands and the Royal Air Force to give all available help to divisional food offices in supplying food to villages isolated by drifts, but up to the present it has only been necessary to call for assistance in four cases.