§ Mr. Dormandasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to institute additional controls on aerial crop spraying; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerControls over aerial crop spraying are exercised by the Civil Aviation Authority under the Air Navigation Order 1980. The authority is just completing a thorough review of its requirements. Strengthened and more precise requirements will be in force before the beginning of next year's spraying season. Changes will include increasing the minimum horizontal separation which aircraft must maintain from houses to 200 ft; a requirement that aircraft must not fly below 200 ft over gardens; and a stipulation that water authorities must be consulted before spraying is carried out near water.
These changes are in addition to the strengthened requirements for the prior notification of adjacent occupiers which my hon. Friend and colleague the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport announced on 31 July at columns 209–210.
In addition in the Food and Environmental Protection Bill, which is currently under consideration in another place, Ministers are seeking powers which would enable them to make regulations to complement the controls already exercised by the Civil Aviation Authority.