Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the land area of Wales is included within the United Kingdom low-flying system.
§ Mr. FreemanThe whole of the land area of Wales is included within the United Kingdom low-flying system.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average duration of a low-flying sortie by a fast jet.
§ Mr. FreemanThe average duration of a low-flying sortie by a fast jet is approximately 42 minutes.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what geographical area, expressed(a) by county and (b) by parliamentary constituency, is covered by low-flying area 3.
§ Mr. FreemanLow-flying area 3 covers(a) part of the county of Cornwall and (b) the parliamentary constituencies of St. Ives, Falmouth and Camborne, and most of the constituency of Truro.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of complaints received about low flying in 1987 were identified as relating to(a) British military aircraft, (b) United States Air Force aircraft and (c) other military aircraft.
§ Mr. Freeman1 refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 15 April 1988, at column249.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the reasons for the decline in the number of low-flying sorties over the United Kingdom in 1987 as compared with 1986; and whether he expects this downward trend to continue in 1988.
§ Mr. FreemanLow-flying activity is influenced by several factors, including the number of aircrew in training, their experience, timing of major exercises,428W budgetary constraints and the weather. While no increase in low-flying activity is expected for the foreseeable future, the reduction in low-flying activity between 1986 and 1987 was very small and not considered significant.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many confirmed breaches of low-flying regulations in each year since 1974 were caused by inadvertent negligence on the part of aircrew;
(2) how many confirmed breaches of low-flying regulations in each year since 1974 were caused by wilful negligence on the part of aircrew.
§ Mr. FreemanThe information requested cannot be provided without disproportionate effort.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of 21 January,Official Report, column 776–7, what impact the planned reductions in Royal Air Force fast jet operational training flying hours is expected to have on the number of low-flying sorties over the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. FreemanIt is too early to quantify the expected reductions in fast jet flying hours referred to in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 21 January, although the effect on low-flying sorties is likely to be minimal.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum height at which Royal Air Force aircraft are permitted to fly over land in Norway.
§ Mr. Freeman[holding answer 22 February 1988]: RAF fixed wing aircraft training over land in Norway may be authorised to fly down to a minimum height of 250 ft in Norwegian low flying areas. RAF helicopters may fly below 500 ft.