§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from interested parties regarding the near miss involving an Air UK civil airliner and a military Tornado aeroplane which occurred over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe responsibility for investigating airmiss reports rests with the independent joint airmiss working group. This group arranges for all interested parties to make representations to the investigators and in this case it includes the Ministry of Defence, the civil operator and the air traffic control unit which was providing an advisory service to the civil aircraft at the time.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to investigate the near miss involving an Air UK civil airliner and a military Tornado aeroplane which occurred over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January; if he will make it his policy to publish a report on the background to the incident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe investigation of airmiss reports is the responsibility of the independent joint airmiss working group. The group meets regularly to consider the circumstances surrounding every reported airmiss. Details of its deliberations and assessment of the risk and cause are published every four months by the Civil Aviation Authority.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the civil aircraft involved in a near miss with a military Tornado aeroplane over Kelso on Wednesday 31 January was in unregulated air space at the time of the incident.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe incident is the subject of a full investigation by the independent joint airmiss working group. From the facts available at present, it would appear that both aircraft were in unregulated airspace at the time of the incident.
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many of the incidents reported to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from or between offshore installations (1) took place in controlled air space, (2) had aircraft operating under instructions given by air traffic control to either captain, (3) took place in air space for which an advisory service was available, (4) had aircraft in receipt of advisory services and (5) operated outside either controlled air space or advisory services;
(2) how many reported incidents there have been to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters being claimed to have come dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from and between offshore installations; what were the identities of the other aircraft, by type and operator; at what heights the incidents took place; and in which cases either the helicopter or the other aircraft were on approach or take-off;
(3) if he will prepare and publish a report on the lessons to be drawn from the incidents of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft;
587W(4) in which cases where incidents have been reported to the joint airmiss working party since 1 January 1987 of helicopters coming dangerously close to other aircraft when operating to, from or between offshore installations the incidents have been categorised as A, B or C; and where the responsibility for each incident has been laid.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThese are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation.
I have drawn the questions to the attention of the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority and will ask him to write to the hon. Member direct.