§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary a State for Transport what plans he has to change the measurement criteria for aircraft noise in the UK to correspond to those of the World Health Organisation. [123437]
§ Mr. McNultyWHO noise guideline figures are given in terms of equivalent continuous sound level (dBA Leq) and of the sound event peak (dBA Lmax). Leq is already the established metric for averaging aircraft noise, as recommended in the planning guidance note PPG 24. Lmax and SEL (which takes account of event duration as well as peak level) are also extensively used in describing individual noise events.
In due course, noise contours will also be produced for aircraft noise and for other sources in accordance with the metrics, again based on Leq, prescribed by EU Directive 2002/49/EC.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) published in the last two years on the impact of different aircraft noise levels on those affected. [123438]
§ Mr. McNultyThe Department for Transport commissioned a study into attitudes to noise from civil aircraft sources in England in November 2001; it is expected to report towards the end of next year.
This major study was commissioned following three earlier, smaller-scale studies commissioned by DETR into the effects of noise specifically at night: "Adverse Effects of Night-Time Aircraft Noise" (CAA R&D 9964); "Aircraft noise and sleep—1999 UK Trial Methodology Study" (Flindell et al.) and "Perceptions of Aircraft Noise, Sleep and Health" (Diamond et al.) all published during 2000.