§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of low-flying sorties over the United Kingdom in each month from January to date.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleFor the number of low-flying sorties carried out in January 1991 I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 8 March 1991 at column332. The number of low-flying sorties carried out in the United Kingdom in each month from February to May, the most recent date for which figures are available, is as follows:
Number February 7,471 March 10,814 April 12,300 May 12,556
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all past, current and planned RAF participation in low-flying training exercises overseas during 1991, specifying the number and types of aircraft in each case.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleTo date in 1991, the RAF has participated in the following overseas exercises involving an element of low-flying training:
Exercise Country Dates Number and type of aircraft Snow Falcon 91–1 Norway 2–16 March 6 Harrier GR5 Agder Norway 11–15 March 4 Tornado GR1 Red Flag 91-X USA 27 March-8 June 10 Harrier GR5 Blue Moon Denmark 2–3 April 4 Jaguar 4 Tornado GR1 Ardent Ground Portugal 29 April-10 May 6 Jaguar GRla Snow Goose 91–2 Norway 1–14 June 6 Jaguar GRla Brown Falcon Denmark 12 June 8 Jaguar 8 Harrier GR5 Exercises in the central region involving RAF participation are not included.
As in previous years, further overseas exercises are planned, but it would be premature to give detailed information at this stage.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for low-flying avoidance area status have been received by his Department since 1 January.
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§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI regret that such applications are not recorded separately and it would require disproportionate effort to identify them. Since 1 January, however, some 250 temporary or permanent avoidance arrangements have been made.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low-flying in each of the last five years came from addresses located within(a) low flying area 16, (b) low flying area 13, (c) low flying area 17 and (d) low flying area 12.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe numbers of inquiries or complaints about low-flying training which my Department received in each of the last five years from addresses located within low flying areas 12, 13, and 16 and 17 were as follows:
Low flying area Year 12 13 16 17 1986 132 23 213 445 1987 117 11 304 400 1988 136 21 341 449 1989 238 32 592 836 1990 270 42 498 754
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low flying were received in each month since March 1990 from addresses in(a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe numbers of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying training which my Department received over the period 1 March 1990 to 30 June 1991 from addresses in England, Scotland and Wales were as follows:
Month England Scotland Wales 1990 March 366 96 84 April 303 67 39 May 546 80 119 June 477 118 147 July 930 107 226 August 775 143 192 September 344 71 35 October 414 70 107 November 206 106 19 December 98 40 38 1991 January 74 17 15 February 28 8 11 March 96 30 25 April 228 38 49 May 463 72 84 June 274 52 95
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of low-flying movements authorised at less than 250 ft in each of the tactical training areas in each month from January 1991 to date.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe numbers of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within the three United Kingdom tactical training areas between January and May 1991, the most recent date for which figures are available, were as follows: 95W
Northern Scotland Central Wales Borders January 111 39 180 February 107 12 127 March 12 2 324 April 7 0 0 May 45 0 8
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date notification of the disestablishment of the Humberside low-flying transit area was sent by his Department to(a) hon. Members and (b) local authorities in the area; and if he will list the parliamentary constituencies and local authorities concerned.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleAs the hon. Member will be aware, when significant changes are made to the United Kingdom low flying system, hon. Members whose constituencies are affected are given appropriate notification.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to measure the noise levels generated by aircraft using afterburners at low level.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe report on the "External Noise of MoD Military Aircraft", a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House in November 1987, contains some such data but there are no plans for further work. As set out in my predecessor's answer of 12 June 1990, at column140, to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood), aircraft are instructed to use reheat as little as possible overland at low level and use would be unusual unless required for flight safety reasons.