§ 7.52 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, if they will now arrange for the publication 742 of the reports of investigations into accidents to British civil aircraft which involve loss of life or serious personal injury.]
§ LORD NATHANMy Lords, hitherto the general practice has been to publish only the conclusions arrived at by the Chief Inspector of Accidents. In future, however, unless for security or other reasons publication would be contrary to the public interest, I propose to publish the complete reports of his investigations into accidents occurring to British civil aircraft operating scheduled journeys (within the meaning of Section 23 of the Civil Aviation Act, 1946), or engaged on charter in all cases where death or serious personal injury has occurred, or from which I think useful lessons may be learnt in connexion with the practice of flying, technical development or aircraft construction or where other special features are present.. It will be understood that this announcement applies only to British aircraft operating in the United Kingdom or the Colonies, as reports on accidents to Dominion or foreign aircraft in the United Kingdom or the Colonies, or to British aircraft in Dominion or foreign territory, cannot be published without prior arrangements with the Dominion or foreign authority concerned.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONArising out of that decision, which I am sure is a wise one, I would like to ask the noble Lord two things. First of all, will the inquiries in future be held in public? Secondly, will he do what he can to persuade other countries to follow suit, bearing in mind that it was one of the provisions and certainly the intention of the International Convention that there should be the greatest possible pooling and publication of information, and that the greatest common interest there is in civil aviation is safety?
§ LORD NATHANI am much obliged to the noble Viscount for giving me an opportunity of saying that I shall certainly pursue discussions with other Governments, both foreign and Dominion, with a view to achieving the results to which he refers, believing as I do that safety is of the very first importance to 743 the whole future of civil aviation. As regards the other question the noble Viscount put to me, as to inquiries being held in public, I have given careful consideration to the suggestion which has been made to me from various quarters to that effect. I have reached the conclusion that while I should not be prepared to make a statement that the inquiries should, as a matter of course, and in general, be open to the public, I am prepared to say that inquiries into those accidents which give rise to matters of real public interest, or from which it is likely that benefits may be derived in regard to information as to technical de- 744 fects and development, those inquiries be open to the public.