§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum height at which aircraft are permitted to fly in an east-west direction over Derwent Water.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleAircraft flying in this area of the United Kingdom low flying system must adhere to a minimum separation distance of 250 ft.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the concentration of the bulk of operational low flying in the Borders tactical training area since August.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe distribution of operational low flying, including that associated with our Gulf commitments, is constrained by the location of major operating bases and ranges, the prevailing weather and the suitability of the various tactical training areas for individual practice sorties. My Department's aim, reflected in the 1988 extension of the Borders tactical training area, remains, however, to distribute such activity as widely as is practicable and all three tactical areas have been made available for Gulf-related training in recent months.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying movements at less than 250 ft were authorised in each of the tactical training areas in each month from January 1988 to December 1989.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe numbers of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within the tactical training areas between January 1988 and December 1989 were as follows:
206W
Northern Scotland Central Wales Borders 1988 January 37 0 41 February 255 1 292 March 286 6 174 April 0 0 0
Northern Scotland Central Wales Borders May 0 0 0 June o 30 0 July 0 12 94 August 24 0 121 September 20 7 54 October 162 2 138 November 25 2 126 December 19 0 187 1989 January 9 0 74 February 49 32 517 March 72 23 462 April 68 15 55 May 376 0 37 June 15 0 0 July 13 0 141 August 11 0 44 September 94 7 316 October 96 12 104 November 14 0 38 December 0 0 0
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation has been given since 2 August to United States air force units based in the United Kingdom to fly at heights less than 250 ft above ground level in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleAgreement was given to a request that a small number of USAF A-10 aircrew based in the United Kingdom, who may be required to deploy to the middle east at short notice, should, very exceptionally, be authorised to undertake a limited amount of low flying training at heights down to 100 ft in the mid-Wales tactical training area in December.
In the event, no such training has taken place to date.