§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Aviation what study he has made of the paper by Mr. B. W. Townshend entitled Ditch or Crash Land, sent to him by the honourable Member for Orpington; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy for survival in civil air accidents with particular reference to cases where take-off or landing is near or over water.
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§ Mr. Roy JenkinsMy Department has received and studied Mr. Townshend's paper. The subject of survival measures is constantly under review in relation to the performance of modern aircraft and to statistics of accidents and incidents. The Department's policy on the carriage of liferafts is in line with international opinion and no extension of the present regulations is considered to be justified. As regards the carriage of lifejackets, the United Kingdom has tabled proposals for discussion at a forthcoming I.C.A.O. Conference for the strengthening of I.C.A.O. requirements.