HL Deb 26 February 1973 vol 339 c360
LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask a Question of which I have given Her Majesty's Government Private Notice—namely, To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek to initiate an impartial inquiry through the International Civil Aviation Organisation into the circumstances of the disaster of the Libyan civil aircraft with the loss of many lives over the Sinai Desert on February 21, 1973".

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I understand that the Libyan and Egyptian Governments have already called for such an inquiry. Her Majesty's Government's representative to the International Civil Aviation Organisation is being instructed to support this request.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I do not want to exacerbate the feeling on this issue and do not want to prejudice the hopeful tendencies towards the beginning of a settlement, and I shall content myself by thanking the noble Baroness for her Answer.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that almost all people in this House will approve of what has been done by Her Majesty's Government, and that we hope that a sensible, calm appraisal of the circumstances will lead to some sort of constructive proposal?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, and the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, for their very helpful contributions. We thought that this was the best and fairest way to find out what happened.