§ Mr. Elysian Morganasked the Minister of State for Defence if, in view of the number of low-level flights made by military aircraft over Mid- and South-West Wales, he will cause a survey to be made of the interference caused by these flights to the lives of persons residing in the area.
§ Mr. KirkNo. The noise disturbance aspects of low-level flying training are already kept under continuing review and we deliberately avoid centres of population.
§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Minister of State for Defence what instructions are given to Royal Air Force station commanders with regard to minimising the interference to people residing in the areas of low-level training flights.
§ Mr. KirkInstructions are given that aircraft should avoid built-up areas and such sensitive locations as hospitals, and that they should fly at the maximum height consistent with training needs. Other requirements are that night flying should be kept to the absolute minimum and that repeated overflying of the same locality should be avoided wherever possible.
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§ Mr. John Morrisasked the Minister of State for Defence on how many occasions in each of the last six months aircraft of the Royal Air Force have carried out low-flying exercises near or over Cefn Cribbwr village, Bridgend, Glamorgan; and whether it is intended to continue such exercises.
§ Mr. KirkThe number of occasions in each of the last six months on which aircraft of the Royal Air Force have passed over or near Cefn Cribbwr as part of their low-flying training is as follows:
February 23 March 156 April 194 May 96 June 113 July 150 732 Over this period there were also 826 flights by aircraft of the United States Air Force. We expect the same broad pattern of flying activity to continue.