Sonic Booms (Hansard, 1 December 1970)

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply (1) whether he has investigated the complaint contained in a letter of 16th October from Penzance and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that a pane of glass was cracked in a lounge window on 14th October following sonic booms; and what his inquiries has disclosed;
(2) whether he has investigated the complaint in a letter of 30th October from a firm of accountants in Penzance 361W and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that their property was damaged by a sonic boom;
(3) whether he has investigated the complaint in a letter dated 14th October from Goldsithney and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that two panes of glass were broken in a greenhouse following sonic booms; and what his inquiries have disclosed;
(4) whether he has investigated the complaint contained in a letter dated 14th October from St. Buryan and which was forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that an elderly lady fell in the street from shock and that a glass window was broken from a Concorde boom; and what the results of his investigation have shown.

§ Mr. David Price
Claims for damage arising from Concorde's test flights are investigated by the Claims Commission. In one of the incidents reported from Penzance, compensation has been paid for fallen plaster. In the remaining cases the Claims Commission has asked the claimants to provide further information. There was no flight by Concorde on 14th October.

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he has investigated the report dated 21st October from the Cornwall National Farmers Union, and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives which listed damage to several buildings, livestock and glasshouses from sonic booms.

§ Mr. David Price
This report was in general terms and did not state the time and place of specific incidents. All specific cases where damage is alleged are investigated by the Claims Commission.

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he has investigated the letter of 29th October from Porthcurno which was forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that an electric fire was blown on to a hearthrug by a sonic boom.

§ Mr. David Price
No. This letter did not claim that damage had been suffered.

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he has investi- 362W gated the complaint contained in a letter of 14th October from Manaccan and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives of the effect of a sonic boom on 13th October on patients in the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske; and what his investigations disclose.

§ Mr. David Price
The letter in question was from a member of the public who was visiting the hospital. No complaint was made by the hospital authorities and an investigation was not considered necessary.

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply (1) whether he has investigated the complaint on sonic booms from two elderly ladies living in Mullion suffering from chronic arthritis and angina contained in a letter of 14th October and forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives; and what the results of his investigation disclose;
(2) whether he has investigated the complaint contained in a letter dated 12th October from St. Keverne which was forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that a lady was seriously indisposed for several hours following a sonic boom.

§ Mr. David Price
I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to similar Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Mudd). We looked at these complaints very carefully but did not consider that an investigation would add to our knowledge of the circumstances.

§ Mr. Nott
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply whether he has investigated the complaint contained in a letter dated 15th October from Madron and which was forwarded to him by the hon. Member for St. Ives to the effect that the roof of the historic parish church of Madron was severely shaken by a Concorde boom on 12th October.

§ Mr. David Price
This letter did not suggest that any damage had been caused and an investigation was not considered necessary.

§ Mr. Mudd
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for 363W Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Hayle constituent that, although he had been deaf for 30 years, he heard the sound of a Concorde sonic boom.

§ Mr. David Price
My hon. Friend has drawn my right hon. Friend's attention to a Press report of this incident. No complaint has been received.

§ Mr. Mudd
asked the Minister of Aviation Supply (1) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Camborne constituent whose mentally handicapped 10-year-old child screams and cannot be comforted during the Concorde sonic boom;
(2) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Redruth constituent that a two-year-old boy dropped a cup and cried inconsolably following a Concorde sonic boom;
(3) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Hayle constituent that she was virtually unable to speak and that she retched violently for several hours following a Concorde sonic boom;
(4) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Mawnan Smith constituent, that her elderly father was left shuddering and speechless following a Concorde sonic boom;
(5) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of two Praze constituents that they felt ill for three hours following a Concorde sonic boom;
(6) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Penryn constituent that for five hours the ears of his wife and himself were tender following a Concorde sonic boom;
(7) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Penryn con- 364W stituent registered as a sufferer from heart disease, that nothing causes him more alarm than the effects following a Concorde sonic boom;
(8) what investigation and action has taken place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Redruth constituent that his house was shaken and his ears subjected to intolerable pressure following a Concorde sonic boom;
(9) what investigation and action has take place in respect of the complaint passed by the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne on behalf of a Lanner constituent that inconvenience, shock, discomfort and distress were caused following a Concorde sonic boom.

§ Mr. David Price
All complaints arising from Concorde's test flights are carefully considered, and any claims for damage or injury are investigated by the Claims Commission. Complaints alleging a serious effect on health are also investigated individually.
We looked very carefully at the complaints referred to by my hon. Friend, not all of which were in quite the terms he suggests, but did not consider that an investigation would add to our knowledge of the circumstances.