HC Deb 14 March 1994 vol 239 cc517-8W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) How many years RAF Halton has been used as an operational airfield; and if he will make a statement;

(2) for how many years the ATC has flown aircraft from RAF Halton.

Mr. Hanley

Military flying has taken place at Halton for 82 years. It was first used by the Army between 1912 and 1981; since then, it has been used for RAF operational flying. The ATC has flown aircraft from RAF Halton for 46 years.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give his Department's estimate in decibels of the noise nuisance caused to local residents of aircraft flying from RAF Halton; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

Over a two-week period last year, monitoring equipment positioned on the property of those complainants most affected by noise from flying at RAF Halton revealed that aircraft operations increased the average background noise by up to 8dB(A).

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