HC Deb 11 December 1996 vol 287 cc267-9W
Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed the Royal Air Force low flying strategy; and what were his conclusions. [8466]

Mr. Soames

The need for military low flying is kept under continual review. It remains our conclusion that low flying is an essential tactic for a modern air force and one of the most effective ways of penetrating hostile air defences.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much compensation has been paid to(a) individuals and (b) organisations for damage resulting from flying activity in the United Kingdom in the last 10 years.[8470]

Mr. Soames

It is not possible to differentiate between compensation payments made to individuals and those made to organisations without disproportionate effort. However, the majority of payments made were to individuals.

Information on the total amounts paid is readily available for the last eight financial years only. The amounts paid relating to activity in the United Kingdom, excluding operational flying in Northern Ireland, were:

  • 1988–89: £432,000
  • 1989–90: £414,000
  • 1990–91: £427,000
  • 1991–92: £440,000
  • 1992–93: £506,000
  • 1993–94: £558,000
  • 1994–95: £703,000
  • 1995–96: £374,000.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department received about low-flying aircraft in each month of each of the last four years and to date this year. [8471]

Mr. Soames

The numbers of inquiries and complaints received by my Department about military low flying by month between January 1992 and January 1996 have been provided in answers given to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) on 5 May 1993,Official Report, column 146, 16 February 1994, Official Report, column 818, 19 October 1995, Official Report, column 346, and 13 February 1996, Official Report, column 490. The numbers received from February 1996 onwards are as follows:

Month England Wales Scotland
February 210 55 79
March 198 36 98
April 236 72 92
May 372 92 162
June 411 71 100
July 614 135 148
August 714 183 167
September 470 115 119
October 453 36 141
November 297 49 76

The figures exclude Northern Ireland, where most low flying is of an operational nature with only a limited number of training sorties. Complaints arising from this activity are dealt with locally, and no central record is available of the number received.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates on which military aircraft engaged in low flying exercises have crashed since January 1992. [8472]

Mr. Soames

The dates of all crashes involving British military aircraft engaged in low flying either in the UK or overseas during the period in question are listed in the table. Details of which of these aircraft were involved in exercises are not recorded separately.

  • 15 February 1992
  • 9 July 1992
  • 22 September 1992
  • 27 May 1993
  • 28 June 1993
  • 30 July 1993
  • 9 September 1993
  • 17 September 1993
  • 21 October 1993
  • 6 November 1993
  • 5 January 1994
  • 14 January 1994
    • 269
  • 23 March 1994
  • 20 May 1994
  • 2 June 1994
  • 7 June 1994
  • 8 July 1994
  • 1 September 1994
  • 19 September 1994
  • 1 June 1995
  • 20 August 1995
  • 2 September 1995
  • 5 October 1995
  • 11 January 1996
  • 23 February 1996
  • 24 July 1996.