§ 35. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress he has made towards securing international agreement on the mandatory installation of rearward-facing seats in passenger aircraft.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe installation of rearward-facing seats was advocated by the United Kingdom at the 4th Session of the Airworthiness Division of the International Civil Aviation Organisation in March, 1951. No agreement has been reached. I intend to instruct our representatives to raise this matter again at the earliest opportunity.
§ Mr. BeswickIs the Minister aware that not only is the Royal Air Force advocating rearward-facing seats, but that his Department's former inspector of accidents has now come out with a public statement in favour of them, which puts his Department in a rather awkward position? Will he say if he can take some additional initiative other than that already taken?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI do not think that we are in an awkward position. We have, in fact, taken the lead over this, and in that respect we have been forward-facing.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltIs my right hon. Friend aware that anyone who has had experience of this matter knows that undoubtedly rearward-facing seats are infinitely safer, and that there is nothing to prevent him, or this country as a whole, from adopting them and putting the procedure into practice immediately?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterFrom a safety angle, there is a good deal of evidence in support of the view expressed by my hon. Friend, but I think that he will be aware that there are a number of steps which have to be taken before there can be any question of compulsion, particularly in respect of existing aircraft.