§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress is being made to hasten the improvement in the efficiency of the Sea Rescue Services by the inclusion of qualified divers as aquatic specialists in helicopters and lifeboats.]
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, I am advised that sea rescues in which specialised divers can assist occur only very rarely. However, Her Majesty's Coastguard keep lists of qualified divers on whom they can call when necessary. Because of considerations of bulk and weight, frogmen are not normally carried in military helicopters, but in appropriate cases they can be made available. I understand that the Royal National Lifeboat Institution is at present conducting trials with specialised swimmers in lifeboat crews.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, while flanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask whether he has seen the report in to-day's papers of the tragedy off the North Foreland, and is he aware that when American helicopters arrived with American-trained divers it was too late for the rescue to be effective? Is he also aware that the number of trained divers in this country is very rapidly increasing, thanks to the training work done by the British Sub-Aqua Club? Will he now have a further 727 look at this matter, with a view to seeing what can be done quickly to improve the splendid work that is already being done in sea rescue by helicopters, life-boats and, indeed, other boats, because the new techniques of using divers can undoubtedly be more effective in saving life at sea in emergencies?
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, I have certainly seen in the papers the reports of the tragic accident that occurred, but I am not able to say that had a helicopter been available more quickly that tragedy would have been averted. We shall need to get more details before we can say that. The general feeling—and the Board of Trade and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution have been into this matter—is that only on very rare occasions would a diver with diving equipment mean a saving of life. It is thought that the additional weight and bulk which would be entailed could possibly mean danger and more loss of life.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that that reply is not really satisfactory? Of course it is not possible in question and answer to go into long and involved technical details, but I hope to have an opportunity to raise this matter on another occasion.