§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether official consultations have taken place between the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, and regulations been agreed upon as to desirable locations and heights for skyscrapers being constructed now and in the future to ensure that they shall not be a menace to aircraft at times of dense fog.]
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, long standing arrangements exist with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government whereby the Ministry of Aviation or the owner of the airfield is consulted on all proposals for putting up buildings over certain heights in the neighbourhood of airfields. There are also regulations governing the height at which aircraft may fly outside these areas. In addition, at the request of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, local authorities notify the Ministry of Aviation of all new buildings over 300 feet so that pilots may be informed and warning lights fixed if necessary.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, I am sure he recognises that there are fogs, and that fogs are not respecters of lights; also that there will be infinitely more aeroplanes in the future than there are to-day—I think we all agree on that point—and buildings will undoubtedly go higher than they are now. Some consideration ought to be given at this time to how high these buildings should be allowed to go, and 794 whether aviators are likely to know whether they are flying at a safe height.
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, all the information that the Ministry of Aviation receive as to the height, position and description of buildings is published in the Air Pilot for the assistance of navieators. Under the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations, 1960, pilots, when flying by instruments in conditions of bad visibility and fog, must maintain a height of at least 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle. When flying over congested areas, whether in bad visibility or not, they must maintain a height of at least 1,500 feet above all obstacles, and in bad visibility they must be no lower than 1,000 feet above the obstacle at least five miles before reaching it.
LORD SALTOUNMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether it is not the case that even higher masts are envisaged than the highest he has already mentioned, and whether, in such a case, the regulations will have to be altered?
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, there are consultations between the Television Authority and the Ministry about masts and the regulations will in effect be altered, because the aircraft must fly at a minimum height above the highest obstacle, and in that case the height will go up.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, is not my noble friend aware that, with these Regulations in existence, buildings have been struck by aircraft in other countries? I think it will be well worth while looking into this matter to see whether something can be done about it.