§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all areas, objects, settlements, buildings and installations in the Workington constituency which pilots of low-flying military aircraft are currently advised to avoid, giving in each case the horizontal and vertical limits of avoidance.
§ Mr. NeubertThe whole of the United Kingdom is open for low flying except for major conurbations, danger areas and certain areas such as civil and military air traffic zones, airports, glider sites, high obstacles, and nuclear power stations. It is not our practice to release details of the United Kingdom low flying system.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the additional restrictions on night low flying introduced following the Tornado mid-air collision in Cumbria on 9 August 1988;
(2) if a review of night low flying regulations is being conducted following the collision between two Tornados over Cumbria on 9 August 1988; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what additional flow control measures are currently in force for low flying at night, over and above those currently in force for daylight low flying.
§ Mr. NeubertAlthough there was no evidence to suggest that there was anything wrong with the night low flying system itself, following the mid-air collision near Penrith in August 1988, a six-month trial of a revised night low level flying system was introduced with the aim of increasing the co-ordination of activity at night and improving deconfliction procedures. In this system, areas of the United Kingdom are allocated to commands on a nightly basis and commands are responsible for deconflicting their own aircraft. General flow of traffic from sector to sector in each area is in a clockwise direction around the country. Within these sectors aircraft are allowed to fly in any direction except where specifically prevented from doing so. At the end of the trial its effectiveness will be examined and any appropriate changes made.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when flow control was first introduced for low-flying aircraft in the Keswick area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeubertAs an interim measure, following the mid-air collision near Keswick on 17 June 1987, an unidirectional traffic flow system was introduced in the whole of the Lake District. As a result of subsequent work a revised procedure came into operation on 1 September326W 1987 which provided separation between aircraft flying along the valley of the A591 between the Grasmere arid Bassenthwaite lakes in a north westerly direction only, arid others overflying on various routes at higher levels.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what use is made by RAF Spadeadam of radar information from the national air traffic services radar stations located on(a)Green Lowther, Strathclyde and (b) Knock Fell, Cumbria;
(2) what is the capacity of the radar equipment at RAF Spadeadam to monitor and control low-flying aircraft movements in low flying area 13.
§ Mr. NeubertThe arrangements for monitoring arid controlling aircraft using Spadeadam range (low-flying area 13) are entirely adequate. Information from the unmanned radar stations at Green Lowther and Knock Fell is not fed directly to RAF Spadeadam.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the low flying avoidances marked on military low flying charts are mandatory; arid what sanctions are used to enforce adherence to there restrictions.
§ Mr. NeubertAircrew are instructed not to fly low in avoidance areas unless prior approval has been granted by the Ministry of Defence. The RAF police conducts covert surveys from time to time throughout the United Kingdom in order to establish whether height and other rules are being observed and action is taken, where appropriate, against aircrew found to have infringed regulations.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice is given to military pilots concerning low flying over or in the immediate vicinity of the town of Keswick.
§ Mr. NeubertAs the hon. Member is aware, pilots are instructed to avoid overflying the centres of major conurbations and built up areas such as Keswick at low level. Although we cannot guarantee to avoid overflying the outskirts of major towns and smaller communities, pilots will make every effort to avoid populated areas wherever possible.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign aircrew have infringed the regulations governing the United Kingdom low flying system since 1971.
§ Mr. NeubertA record of the number of invesigations revealing infringements of the United Kingdom low flying system regulations by foreign aircrews since 1971 is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate effort.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and locations of all public meetings on low flying held by(a) the Royal Air Force and (b) his Department over the last five years.
§ Mr. NeubertAccording to available records, the Ministry of Defence has held the following public meetings on low flying over the last five years:
- Date and location
- 1984
- 23 January—Newton Abbot, Devon
327 - 15 February—Stamford Bridge, Humberside
- 13 March—Church Stretton, Shropshire
- 16 October—Leominster, Hereford and Worcester
- 31 October—Great Doddington, Northamptonshire
- 12 November—Clifton Campville, Hereford and Worcester
- 14 November—Hereford, Hereford and Worcester
- 1985
- 14 March—Marden, Hereford and Worcester
- 5 June—Jedburgh, Borders
- 6 June—Kelso, Borders
- 6 June—Duns, Borders
- 28 June—Rugby, Warwickshire
- 24 September—Gedney Drove End, Lincolnshire
- 22 October—Barnard Castle, Durham
- 1986
- 24 January—Alcester, Warwickshire
- 1 May—RAF Spadeadam, Cumbria
- 25 July—Scunthorpe, Humberside
- 30 September—Hereford, Hereford and Worcester
- 6 October—Wilmcote, Warwickshire
- 9 October—Postbridge, Devon
- 15 October—Raglan, Gwent
- 18 November—Wilberfoss, Humberside
- 1987
- 30 January—Ashford, Kent
- 20 March—Bedgebury School, Cranbrook, Kent
- 30 April—Redditch, Hereford and Worcester
- 30 June—Galashiels, Borders
- 1 July—Penrith, Cumbria
- 2 July—Morpeth, Northumberland
- 27 July—Aberedw, Powys
- 1988
- 14 January—Tenbury Wells, Hereford and Worcester
- 11 May—Braunston, Northamptonshire
- 27 May—Dolgellau, Gwynedd
- 15 June—Perth, Tayside
- 22 June—Farndon, Nottinghamshire
- 30 June—Crediton, Devon
- 13 July—Stone, Staffordshire
- 27 July—Kidwelly, Dyfed
- 28 July—Tumble, Dyfed
- 5 October—Morpeth, Northumberland
Section Year Number of cases Rank Sentence Section 49 1972 1 Flight Lieutenant Dismissed the Service Section 49 1974 1 Aircraftman Dismissed the Service Section 49 1983 2 Flight Lieutenant (tried together) Both awarded Severe Reprimands Section 51 and 52 1985 1 (charged under both sections) Flight Lieutenant £300 fine and Severe Reprimand Records are not kept centrally of any cases where disciplinary action is commenced but not proceeded with.