HC Deb 20 May 1963 vol 678 cc6-7
8. Mr. Farr

asked the Minister of Aviation if he will make the use of bariometric safety devices compulsory in free fall parachute descents.

Mr. Marten

No, Sir.

Mr. Farr

Would not my hon. Friend agree that if such devices were fitted compulsorily in free fall descents quite a number of lives might be saved? It is a common practice in America to have free fall parachute descents, and in this country, on 30th January last, if the bariometric safety device had been fitted one of the free-fallers would have been alive now.

Mr. Marten

That was a military free fall and not the responsibility of the Ministry of Aviation. Civilian descents are very rarely from heights that require these devices to be used. If I may express a personal view as an ex-parachutist, I do not think that we should be too restrictive in regulations about this matter, for surely one of the attractions of parachuting, as with mountaineering, is that there should be a calculated flirtation with death.

9. Mr. Farr

asked the Minister of Aviation how many fatalities have occurred in the course of civilian parachute descents in the past three years.

Mr. Marten

I understand, six.

Mr. Farr

Does not my hon. Friend agree that six fatalities in civilian jumping in the last three years is quite a high figure? Despite my hon. Friend's declaration that he finds some stimulation in flirting with death, I would suggest that possibly it would be a good idea if he looked further into the existing regulations, tightened them up and bad one central authority with up-to-date regulations, so that the sport might be encouraged in this country?

Mr. Marten

That may be. I gave it up a long time ago. The number of casualties and the number of civilian parachutists are so small that it is very difficult to draw any conclusion. I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend says and look at the last point which he raised.