HC Deb 18 June 1973 vol 858 c39W
Mr. Elystan Morgan

asked the Minister of State for Defence if, in view of the dangers to communities in West Wales and elsewhere, he will issue fresh instructions to RAF station commanders forbidding low flights by military aircraft over any inhabited area.

Mr. Kershaw

The uninhabited areas of the United Kingdom are too small to meet the RAF's essential low-level training requirements. It is, however, our policy to confine such training to the more sparsely populated regions and aircrew are instructed to avoid the larger centres of population. At the same time stringent precautions are enforced in order to ensure the safety both of the aircrew and of the general public.

Mr. Elystan Morgan

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will set up a working party to inquire into the problems of low-flying aircraft training.

Mr. Kershaw

No. The problems associated with low-flying training are already well understood and all possible steps are taken to alleviate them. No more low-level flying is carried out than is strictly essential and the whole subject is kept under continuing review.

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