HC Deb 30 October 1990 vol 178 cc501-2W
48. Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is planning to take measures to reduce noise pollution from low-flying aircraft.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

The Ministry of Defence is well aware of the disturbance caused by low-flying aircraft and the regulations governing the United Kingdom low-flying system are already designed to minimise the impact of noise by spreading low flying as widely as possible and by strict controls on the heights and speeds used. A series of studies related to aircraft noise is also currently in train as set out by my predecessor in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) earlier this year,Official Report, column 517–18.

65. Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the consequences for the volume of low-level flying in the United Kingdom of the recent decisions by Belgium and West Germany to ban low-level training.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

The United Kingdom regrets the new restrictions placed on low flying in Germany and on low flying by non-Belgian aircraft in Belgium, but each country must make its own judgment of training needs based on its own particular circumstances. These restrictions will not lead to any increase in the total volume of low flying in the United Kingdom.

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