Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement on the question of rearward-facing seats in aircraft.
§ Mr. WatkinsonOn the initiative of the United Kingdom, the Third Air Navigation Conference of the International Civil Aviation Organisation thoroughly examined the evidence for and against rearward-facing seats but concluded that such seats should not be made an international requirement.
I do not consider that British operators should be required to install rearward-facing seats so long as their international competitors are not bound to do so, but they are free to do so if they wish. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply, I am examining the possibilities of improving the design of forward-facing seats so as to minimise the risk of crash injury.