§ Major PRESCOTTasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether his attention has been called to the verdict of death by misadventure returned by the coroner's jury at the inquest on Mr. Legh, who was recently killed in an aeroplane accident at Finchley; whether, in view of the fact that his life might have been spared had his machine been equipped with a parachute, he will so amend the Civil Air Regulations as to compel the provision of parachutes on aeroplanes used for civilian flying purposes; and whether there is any Regula- 1805W tion in force at the present time imposing a similar obligation in regard to service aeroplanes as a safeguard for our airmen?
§ Major-General SEELYThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second and third parts, the provision of parachutes is, as I have previously stated, receiving the closest attention of the Air Ministry, but their development has not at present reached a stage in which compulsory universal provision would be either practicable or advantageous for military or civil aviation.