§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider amending legislation to implement the Warsaw convention in respect of the costs payable to relatives of air crash victims in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EyreThe Warsaw convention of 1929 and the convention as amended by the Hague protocol of 1955 365W have been ratified by the United Kingdom and incorporated into United Kingdom law by the Carriage by Air Act 1961.
The effect of the convention is to limit the liability of the carrier. The convention limit for personal injury or death of passengers is at present less than £9,000 per passenger. But for many years United Kingdom carriers have accepted higher limits of liability pursuant to a standard condition of their air transport licences. From 1 April 1981 this condition requires United Kingdom licensed carriers to accept limits of liability for personal injury and death of not less than 100,000 special drawing rights—about £57,000. This is one of the highest limits applicable anywhere in the world.