HC Deb 11 March 1999 vol 327 cc356-7W
Ms Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures are in place to investigate near-miss air incidents. [75706]

Ms Glenda Jackson

Under Article 106 of theAir Navigation (No. 2) Order 1995, controllers and pilots report airproxes (near miss) in which they were involved to the UK Airprox Board (UKAB), an independent organisation funded by the Civil Aviation Authority and the MOD.

Incidents involving commercial air transport, or which occur in controlled airspace, are passed to the CAA's Safety Regulation Group (SRG) for investigation. Where military aircraft are also involved, a separate investigation into the military aspects is conducted by the MOD. Once completed, the MOD's investigation report is sent to the SRG to be amalgamated with their own report of the incident.

Incidents which only involve military aircraft are referred to the MOD for investigation. The UKAB themselves conduct investigations of incidents involving general aviation in uncontrolled airspace.

SRG and the MOD forward their completed airprox incident reports to the UKAB which then independently assesses the degree of collision risk; and makes any necessary safety recommendations. The results are published.

In addition, the Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, who reports directly to the Secretary of State, has the right on any occasion to institute an investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). The AAIB reports are published in due course.

Ms Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will be conducting a full investigation into the near-miss incident involving a Boeing 737 and a Gulfstream Jet over Chigwell on 26 February. [75705]

Ms Glenda Jackson

DETR's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has begun an investigation of this incident and the results will be published in due course.

In addition to the AAIB investigation, the Civil Aviation Authority's Safety Regulation Group (SRG) is carrying out its own investigation. Once completed, the SRG report is passed to the independent UK Airprox Board (UKAB) for its review and assessment of the incident.

The UKAB will also publish its findings. These will include an assessment of the degree of collision risk and any appropriate safety recommendations.