BRITISH AIR MINISTER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 45, 3 December 1949, Page 5

BRITISH AIR MINISTER

ACTION ON PRESTWICK INQUIRY PEERS DEMAND RESIGNATION (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 2. Conservative and: Liberal peers in the House of Lord*, last night demanded the resignation of the Minister of Civil Aviation (Lord Pakenham) after they had rejected his explanation of his action in announcing, with the report of the commission of inquiry into the Prestwick air disaster, liis disagreement with the commission’s findings.

Lord Pakenham, in a statement issued with the official report of the inquiry, said that the ground cervices at Prestwick did not bear the responsibility for the crash of the Dutch K.L.M. airliner in October, 1948, in which 40 persons were killed. Lord. Pakenham told the House of Lords to-day that he could now see that the proper course was to have expressed his dissent and make his explanation in Parliament. “I hope that the House will accept the simple but sincere expression of regret that I did not do so in; the- first instance,” he said. 1

Lord Pakenham was defended by the Socialist peers, who accused the Opposition of starting a “witch-hunt.” The Secretary of State for Air (Mr Arthur Henderson), whose name was associated with Lord Pakenhain’s statement dissenting from the inquiry’s findings, also apologised to-day. He told, the House of Commons that he associated himself with Lord Pakenham’s expression of regret about the method adopted in making his dissent public;. The Leader of the House of Commons (Mr Herbert Morrison) agreed to consider a request for a debate, on the matter next week.