§ 90. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the new rocket apparatus distress signal, designed by Parachute Flare System for saving life at sea, of which he has been informed; and if he will have its potentialities investigated and issue a report with a view, if it be found suitable, to its general adoption in British ships.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussYes, Sir. A number of the flares to which my hon. Friend refers were purchased by the Ministry during the war and supplied to ships for test purposes. The question whether this flare should be approved for use in ships' lifeboats has recently been considered by a working party composed of representatives of owners, officers and men, as well as representatives of my Department, and that body unanimously came to the conclusion that this flare was partly, because of its size, unsuitable for lifeboats and that a smaller combined red flare and five-star rocket was to be preferred. My right hon. Friend is investigating the possibility of the flare being used on ships as one of the statutory distress signals, but this could only be with international agreement.