§ Baroness Gardner of Parkesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the decibel readings in the school at Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire, when military aircraft fly overhead; and what steps they are taking to divert the flight path from the village.
§ The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)Steeple Aston School is most affected by noise when aircraft from Upper Heyford take off towards the west. Because the level of noise was particularly disturbing when take-off was directly in line with the runway—Ministry of Defence scientists recorded a noise level of 81 dB Laeq 12 hours at the school—an alternative flying pattern taking aircraft to the north of Steeple Aston was adopted in the middle of August. Although this change has reduced the level of noise at the school, the Government have exceptionally agreed in principle to meet the cost of a package of sound insulation measures in order to mitigate the effect further.