§ 2.42 p.m.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any statement to make on the loss of the Comet Air Liner G-ALYY on Thursday last.]
§ THE PAYMASTER GENERAL (THE EARL OF SELKIRK)My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware that a statement was made yesterday by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation in another place in regard to the loss on the 8th April of the B.O.A.C. Comet operated by South African Airways. No new information has come to hand which enables me to add materially to that statement. I should, however, like to say this: the circumstances which led to this disaster pose a problem of the first magnitude to the scientists and aeronautical engineers of this country. Three representatives of the Accidents Investigation Branch of the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation are now in Italy collating all information, and, as has already been stated, a public inquiry will be held.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Supply, as co-ordinating authority in this matter, is setting in train the fullest and most exhaustive investigation which can be carried out. This will involve work which will be conducted by the national research organisations, including, of course, the R.A.E. and Boscombe Down, and by the manufacturers, the de Havilland Aircraft Company. B.O.A.C. have placed their Comets at the disposal of the Ministry of Supply for these purposes. It should be recognised that this is not a time for despair, but rather a 1181 challenge to the whole engineering and scientific ability of this country, and it is in that spirit that the matter is being taken up. I am sure that your Lordships will wish to join with Her Majesty's Government in expressing profound and heartfelt sympathy with the relatives and friends of those who lost their lives.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, noble Lords on this side of the House would wish to be joined with the noble Earl in that expression of sympathy with the relatives of those who lost their lives. We should also, I think, commend the Government in the steps that they propose to take to see that every possible avenue is explored, in trying to ensure that disasters of this sort will never happen again, and in ascertaining the causes. I agree with the noble Earl that this is not a moment at which to speculate unduly upon the cause of this tragedy, and that it is much better to await the pubic inquiry and the investigations which are to be made by the aeronautical engineers and other scientists.
LORD REAMy Lords, on behalf 3f noble Lords on these Benches may I associate every one of us with the words of the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore. I am sure that the House is unanimous:in its expression of sympathy and in its agreement with the sentiments which have been expressed by both the noble Earl, Lord Selkirk, and the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lords who have just spoken for what they have said. I greatly appreciate it.
§ EARL WINTERTONMy Lords, I should like to ask the noble Earl, in view of the astonishing coincidence in the nature of the two recent disasters, whether the inquiries being carried out overseas will take into account the question of security at the particular airports from which these machines set out. As my noble friend is, no doubt aware, in some organs of the Press, statements have been made—which may, of course, be quite without foundation—to the effect that security, both at Rome and at Cairo, for our aeroplanes refuelling is not what it should be.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, may I first of all say that I think that 1182 guessing in the Press as to what may or may not have happened in the past is highly undesirable I hope that too much weight will not be given to that. I should like to assure the noble Earl that the question of security, amongst other questions, will certainly not be overlooked.