§ Mr. John GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the further studies on aircraft noise mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member for Ryedale of 17 May 1990,Official Report, column 518, are now complete; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleI have now received reports on noise levels generated by aircraft operating at low level and on the review of available information on any possible relationship between aircraft noise and hearing loss. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library of the House.
The report of the review of available information o:n the possible relationship between aircraft noise and hearing loss indicates that the risk of hearing loss as a result of exposure to overflight noise is small, even after daily occurrences over as long a period as 40 years, while the risk of hearing loss due to a single overflight can be regarded as infinitesimal. The report also concludes that occasional brief exposure to noise levels as high as 125 dB(A) should produce no lasting effect on hearing and that there is a small margin of safety at that level.
The report on noise levels generated by aircraft operating at low level has established that, at the speeds flown in the United Kingdom low-flying system, none of the RAF aircraft from which measurements were taken produced noise levels in excess of 125 dB(A).
The report of the study of noise sources within and around aircraft is expected shortly. My Department's low-flying noise panel continues to co-ordinate work in this field and ensures that the findings of research are taken into account in the management of low flying and in the design of future aircraft.