§ Mr. Knox Cunninghamasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation to state what progress is being made towards international agreement concerning the extension of the law of salvage to include aircraft on land, other than the shores of the sea or tidal waters; for how long this matter has been under consideration by the International Civil Aviation Organisation; and whether he will state the views of Her Majesty's Government thereon.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation decided in 1948 and 1949 that a pre-war draft convention was unsuited to modern requirements. Since then the subject has remained on the work programme of the legal committee of the Organisation, but no progress has been made. Meanwhile, most States have established Government search and rescue organisations as a humanitarian service, leaving salvage of property to be arranged by the owners of the aircraft. It is not considered that there is any need for the International Civil Aviation Organisation to be urged to give this subject early attention.