§ 2.50 p.m.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have now taken in relation to the prevention of the hijacking of 'planes and what arrangements have been made in this respect.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government will be taking part in discussions next month in the International Civil Aviation Organisation on a convention providing, for joint action against countries which fail to deal with hijackers. Security measures by British airlines and at British airports have been strengthened.
LORD JANNERMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, may I ask her to be good enough at the meeting which is to be held to emphasise that any nation which harbours people, or allows them to conspire towards the very serious crime of hijacking should not be afforded facilities for air services to that country, bearing in mind that hijacking is perhaps one of the most serious attacks of this age on civilisation?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I quite agree with the noble Lord that this is a very serious and difficult problem. In addition to the action that we are trying to take to get an agreed convention, we are trying to achieve the wider interpretation of previous decisions both of the United Nations and the ICAO which are related to civil aviation.
§ EARL FORTESCUEMy Lords, would my noble friend agree that a simple remedy would be to segregate pilots from passengers, as has been done for many years with the drivers of trains and buses? The only communication between passenger and driver is a bell which requests the driver to stop at the next convenient place. Might it be advisable to have one-way speech from the pilot to passengers so that he may inform them that all is well?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords. I believe that that suggestion has been considered; but as the commander of the aicraft is in charge of the entire aircraft, that solution would not be acceptable.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, are the entire scientific resources of Her Majesty's Government, and indeed of all civilised Governments, incapable of solving a problem which does not appear to be as insurmountable as it has so far proved to be?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, we hope that it is not insurmountable, but without doubt it is a very serious potential danger. Even the lengthy searches which now take place on some of our large aircraft greatly delay all passengers and, of course, all traffic at airports. It is difficult to get the right mean.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, I am referring not to precautions taken before passengers board planes, but to some scientific device which will come into operation when the pilot knows that somebody is threatening to hijack the aircraft. Cannot the scientists produce thing like gas or darts which will come into action on such occasions?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, that is a fascinating idea, though I am not sure how many people would be gassed or subjected to darts.