§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers of low-flying sorties flown by Royal Air Force aircraft in each low-flying area in Germany in each month since January 1990, as collated in accordance with the requirements of the allied forces central Europe low-flying handbook.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlislePrior to September 1990, a general lower limit of 500 feet applied to low flying in Germany but flying down to 250 feet was permitted in seven discrete low-flying areas. Since 16 September 1990, there has been a general lower limit of 1,000 feet on low flying in Germany and consequently records of entries into the German low-flying areas by RAF aircraft only extend to that date. While the information is not available broken down by sorties, the numbers of entries recorded between January and September 1990 are as follows:
266W
Area Entries January 1990 1 659 2 542 267W
Area Entries 3 248 5 309 6 100 7 79 8 72 February 1990 1 604 2 572 3 226 5 241 6 43 7 50 8 54 March 1990 1 450 2 378 3 96 5 163 6 26 7 55 8 56 April 1990 1 862 2 758 3 380 5 276 6 62 7 18 8 34 May 1990 1 656 2 522 3 413 5 204 6 29 7 128 8 149 June 1990 1 302 2 226 3 165 5 81 6 25 7 54 8 42 July 1990 1 713 2 590 3 482 5 262 6 57 7 81 8 109 August 1990 1 848 2 646 3 343 5 269 6 49 7 54 8 78 September 1990 1 226 2 167 3 105 5 76 6 9 7 11 8 26
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum number of times an aircrew is permitted to re-attack the same simulated target at low level; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI refer the hon. Member to my Department's evidence to the inquiry into low flying by the Select Committee on Defence (HC 120/90, page 177).
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all requests made to his Department for low flying avoidance status around bird sanctuaries, wildlife breeding sites and nature reserves in the last three years; and what was the outcome of each request.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI regret that such applications are not recorded separately and it would require disproportionate effort to identify them. However, some 54 bird sanctuaries, wildlife breeding sites and nature reserves are the subject of seasonal or permanent avoidance arrangements.
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the flying at less than 250 ft during Exercises Highland Cardinal and OSEX 91 in mid-Wales in June-July 1991, as specified in the Civil Aviation Authority notification of these exercises, was approved by Ministers; and how many sorties at less than 250 ft were flown during the two exercises.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleNo flying below 250 ft took place during Exercises Highland Cardinal and OSEX 91.
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to retain records of requests from foreign air forces for permission to fly at less than 250 ft over the United Kingdom, and of his Department's responses to those requests.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleNo. My Department's general policy on such training remains as set out in evidence to the Select Committee on Defence published last year. (HC 120/90, pp. 12–13).
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low flying in each of the years 1986 to 1990 came from addresses located within each of low-flying areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 14.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe numbers of inquiries or complaints about low-flying training which my Department received in each of the last five years from addresses located within low-flying areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 14 were as follows:
Low flying area 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1 114 115 135 134 90 2 739 890 922 1,058 992 3 11 18 14 14 12 4 401 400 434 646 526 5 451 414 364 620 624 6 364 529 380 519 446 7 733 913 856 1,110 1.086 8 302 286 283 399 413 9 34 42 59 56 41 11 726 594 482 579 537 14 242 425 534 899 564
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Chepstow transit area was abolished;268W what was the specific reason for its abolition; and if he will list the parliamentary constituencies over which low flying is newly permitted, or within which the area available for low flying is extended, as a result of this measure.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleIt is not our practice to publish detailed information on the United Kingdom low-flying system. As part of the continuous monitoring of the United Kingdom low-flying system, however, a pro-gramme of reviews of avoidance areas is carried out and changes made when necessary, reflecting changes on the ground, and aimed at spreading low flying more evenly and enhancing flight safety, while at the same time reducing, where possible, the disturbance to those on the ground.