§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and locations of any deployments of mobile threat emitter equipment outside the Spadeadam range.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleMobile threat emitter equipment is occasionally deployed to various parts of the country each year in support of RAF-sponsored exercises. The deployments for 1990 are representative of a typical annual deployment programme and were as follows:
Date 23 to 31 March Otterbum Range 15 to 19 May Salisbury Plain 13 to 19 July Mid Wales 17 to 21 July East Lothian 30 July to 4 August Otterbum Range
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the fast jet low-flying activity scheduled to take place on Saturday 21 and 625W Sunday 22 October in northern England and south-east Scotland; what types of aircraft and which units were involved; how many sorties took place on each day; and if the Spadeadam range was specially activated for the exercise.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleLow flying was exceptionally authorised on the weekend of 20–21 October for Jaguar aircrew conducting training connected with our current commitment in the Gulf. However, in the event bad weather forced all the sorties to be flown at medium level, and no use was made of Spadeadam range.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the results of the military aircraft noise survey held at RAF West Freugh earlier this year.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert) gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (M r. Foulkes) on 13 June 1990 at column241.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the types of stores or materials which military aircraft are permitted to drop within the Spadeadam range area.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleWithin the Spadeadam range area aircraft are permitted to drop small amounts of chaff. In addition, the range is cleared, up to a maximum of 28 days per year, to allow the dropping of practice bombs on Wiley Sike (an air weapons range within the Spadeadam range).
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the areas of the United Kingdom where military aircraft are permitted to release infra-red decoy flares.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleMilitary aircraft are not normally permitted to release infra-red decoys over the land anywhere in the United Kingdom, but may do so over the sea when clear of shipping or other hazards.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose of the recent changes made to the southern boundary of the Spadeadam area of intense aerial activity; and whether concomitant changes have been made to the southern boundary of low flying area 13.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe United Kingdom low flying system is continuously monitored and changes are made where necessary to spread low-flying more evenly and enhance flight safety while at the same time reducing, where possible, disturbance to those on the ground. The southern boundaries of low-flying area 13 and the Spadeadam area of intense air activity remain coincident.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the areas of the United Kingdom where military aircraft are permitted to dispense chaff.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe dispensing of chaff in the United Kingdom by military aircraft is strictly controlled and is generally carried out over the sea. Over land military aircraft are permitted to dispense small quantities of chaff when operating at the electronic warfare training range at Spadeadam.
626W
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce a limit on the number of military aircraft permitted to operate in low flying area 16 at any one time.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe United Kingdom low-flying system is kept under constant review but there are no such plans at present.