§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet villagers of Penyllordd, Hope and Caergerle regarding the impact of low-flying military aircraft flights upon the quality of life in these and neighbouring areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanI would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss any problems his constituents may have regarding the impact of low-level military aircraft flights near their homes.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what geographical area, expressed(a) by county and (b) by parliamentary constituency, is covered by low-flying area 7.
§ Mr. FreemanLow-flying area 7 covers(a) the counties of Clwyd, Dyfed, Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan, Gwent, Gwynedd and Powys and (b) the parliamentary constituencies of Ynys Môn, Conwy, Clwyd, North-West, Delyn, Caernarfon, Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, Clwyd, South-West, Ceredigion and Pembroke, North, Montgomery, Pembroke, Carmarthen, Brecon and Radnor, Llanelli, Gower, Swansea, East, Swansea, West, Neath, Aberavon, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Ogmore, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Pontypridd, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Central, Cardiff, North, Cardiff, South and Penarth, Cardiff, West, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Islwyn, Newport, East, Newport, West, Torfaen and Monmouth and part of the parliamentary constituencies of Alyn and Deeside, Shropshire, North, and Wrexham.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what geographical area, expressed(a) by county and (b) by parliamentary constituency, is covered by low-flying area 10.
§ Mr. FreemanLow flying area 10 no longer exists.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what geographical area, expressed(a) by county and (b) by parliamentary constituency, is covered by low-flying area 12.
§ Mr. FreemanLow flying area 12 covers(a) the counties of Cleveland and Tyne and Wear and parts of the counties of Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire and (b) the parliamentary constituencies of Wansbeck, Blyth Valley, Tynemouth, South Shields, Jarrow, Sunderland, North, Sunderland, South, Newcastle upon Tyne, North, Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, Central, Newcastle upon Tyne, East, Tyne Bridge, 224W Gateshead, East, Houghton and Washington, Blaydon, Durham, North, Easington, Hartlepool, Stockton, North, Stockton, South, Redcar, Middlesbrough, and part of the parliamentary constituencies of Hexham, Durham, North-West, City of Durham, Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Sedgefield, Richmond (Yorks.), Iangbaurgh, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Roxburgh and Berwickshire.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties were flown over the United Kingdom in the period 1 January to 31 May.
§ Mr. FreemanBetween 1 January and 31 March 1988 a total of 40,952 such sorties were flown over the United Kingdom. Figures for April and May 1988 are not yet available.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of complaints received about low flying over the United Kingdom in the period 1 January to 31 May.
§ Mr. FreemanBetween 1 January and 30 April 1988 the Ministry of Defence received 1,267 complaints and inquiries about military low flying. Figures for May are not yet available.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the Royal Air Force's expenditure on public relations, in constant prices, in each year since 1979; and what increase in resources is currently being provided for the Royal Air Force's public relations campaign on low flying.
§ Mr. FreemanThe last year for which comprehensive figures are available is 1987–88. Total spending on public relations for the Royal Air Force from 1983 was as follows:
£ million 1983–84 0.2 1984–85 0.3 1985–86 0.5 1986–87 0.6 1987–88 0.7 Details of total expenditure for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 could not be obtained without disproportionate effort. The figures provided include annual staffing costs together with expenditure on films, exhibitions, publications, equipment and so on. No increase in resources has been allocated to PR activity on low flying.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy on 20 January,Official Report, column 764, if the figure for the number of complaints received about low flying includes complaints made to local Royal Air Force and United States Air Force air bases and other military installations.
§ Mr. FreemanYes, although queries which had been answered by the local Royal Air Force station or United States Air Force air base would not necessarily have been forwarded to the Ministry of Defence for inclusion in central statistics.