§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents involving low-level flying movements were investigated by his Department in each 37W year since 1974; how many of these incidents were crashes of aircraft; how many fatalities occurred among air crew and civilians; and if he will list in the Official Report all such incidents.
§ Mr. PattieThe information is not immediately available in this form. I will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount of compensation paid out by each Department in each year since 1974 in respect of low-flying incidents.
§ Mr. PattieSeparate records of compensation paid as a result of low-flying incidents were not kept for claims received before 1975. The sums paid out by my Department in respect of claims received in Great Britain after the beginning of 1975 were as follows:
(a) (b) (c) MOD Aircraft Visiting Forces Aircraft £ £ 1975 10,400 76 1976 26,645 459 1977 15,161 99 1978 26,487 6,920 1979 (to date) 26,788 243 Notes:
1. It is not possible to divide the figures in column (b) between the three Services, but most claims relate to low flying by RAF aircraft.
2. Seventy-five per cent. of the sums in column (c) are recovered from the visiting forces concerned in accordance with the NATO status of forces agreement.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will immediately order the cessation of all military low-level flights over or near nuclear installations in the United Kingdom until reports of complaints into such low-level movements are investigated; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PattieThere are already standing instructions to prohibit military low level flight in the immediate vicinity of nuclear installations in the United Kingdom.
Complaints of alleged overflights of the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station are being investigated by the RAF police. I will let the hon. Member know the result of these inquiries when they are completed.
38W
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints he has received of low-flying by military aircraft, both RAF and NATO, over or near nuclear installations in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PattieSince 1974, the Ministry of Defence has received 18 complaints about military low flying near nuclear installations in the United Kingdom. The most recent of these concerns alleged over-flights of the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station and is still being investigated by the RAF police. In only one previous incident has the complaint of overflight been substantiated. It involved visiting foreign aircraft and resulted from an inadvertent navigational error.