§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD MOLSONMy 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 they are aware that the French Air Force paid £145,000 in compensation last year to victims of sonic boom caused by aircraft breaking the sound barrier; whether they have reliable information as to the effect on health and property of sonic boom at various altitudes of various designs of aircraft; and whether they are taking steps to restrict and reduce this nuisance in Britain.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, our own information indicates that the figure for the French Air Force quoted by the noble Lord is substantially correct. There is no evidence, either from research carried out in the United Kingdom or from the study of the results of tests held in the United States of America, of damage to health from sonic bangs. Damage to buildings varies with the intensity of the bang, but soundly constructed buildings are not affected by bangs of the kind which a supersonic transport aircraft may be expected to make.
§ LORD MOLSONMy Lords, are there no cases where people have been deafened as a result of sonic boom?
§ LORD BESWICKNo, my Lords, I am not aware of any such case.
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, could the Minister tell me whether it is 1160 not the case that in the hands of responsible operators the Concord civil aircraft, which is, after all, the aircraft most concerned in this question, would only in the most exceptional circumstances be used at supersonic speeds over areas of heavy population?
§ LORD BESWICKYes, my Lords, I think it is fair to say that for operational reasons the aircraft would not reach supersonic speed until at least 100 miles away from the take-off point.