§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low flying were received in each month since June 1991 from addresses in(a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe numbers of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying training which my Department received over the period June 1991 to March 1993 from addresses in Wales, Scotland and England were as follows:
146W
Month Wales Scotland England 1991 June 95 52 274 July 159 62 605 August 101 100 644 September 97 99 374 October 79 43 295 November 51 77 223 December 25 45 108 1992 January 32 52 126 February 60 108 203 March 43 104 275 April 66 66 275
Month Wales Scotland England May 145 90 661 June 123 96 668 July 117 154 610 August 97 91 372 September 67 77 327 October 99 92 391 November 35 34 315 December 20 26 178 1993 January 23 38 168 February 27 104 167 March 48 106 347
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were received about low-flying aircraft in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 in (i) England (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland; and what proportion of such complaints related to (1) fast jets, (2) light jet trainers, (3) heavy propeller-driven aircraft, (4) light propeller-driven aircraft and (5) helicopters.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe numbers of inquiries or complaints relating to military low flying training received in 1991 and 1992 from England, Scotland and Wales were as follows:
Number of complaints 1991 1992 England 3,412 4,401 Scotland 791 990 Wales 643 904 Information on the proportion of complaints by categories of aircraft could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the military low-level training sorties flown over the United Kingdon in each year since 1987 took place wholly or partly between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe information requested is not available. Central records of night low flying do not separately distinguish flying between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. The aim is to complete low flying training before 11 pm wherever possible because it is recognised that aircraft noise can be particularly intrusive at night and only the minimum necessary of such activity is authorised.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) bird sanctuaries, (b) wildlife breeding sites and (c) nature reserves which are the subject of seasonal or permanent low-flying avoidance arrangements in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt remains our policy not to release detailed information on the United Kingdom military low-flying system. Fifty-seven sanctuaries, wildlife breeding sites and nature reserves are, however, the subject of seasonal or permanent low-flying avoidance arrangements.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the results of exercises held by the Royal 147W Air Force since 1985 to measure the perceived noise on the ground, generated by overflying low-level military jet aircraft.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonA copy of the report "Noise levels of military aircraft at low altitude: Exercise Luce Belle" is available in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying sorties were carried out over(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland during (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe information requested is not available. A typical low-level sortie covers some 300 to 500 miles and commonly covers more than one of the areas mentioned. Fixed-wing low flying training is not currently undertaken in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a monthly breakdown of the figures for low-level military training sorties over the United Kingdom since 1987.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe information requested is as follows:
148W
Year and month Sorties 1987 January 8,822 February 12,527 March 12,515 April 13,006 May 14,364 June 13,787 July 14,071 August 11,959 September 12,954 October 11,950 November 12,892 December 8,814 Total 147,661 1988 January 11,179 February 14,279 March 15,494 April 11,733 May 12,990 June 14,220 July 12,653 August 13,182 September 11,459 October 11,589 November 13,105 December 9,408 Total 151,291 1989 January 13,168 February 11,702 March 11,816 April 12,398 May 14,299 June 15,641 July 14,282 August 11,279 September 9,376 October 12,682 November 11,462 December 6,218 Total 144,323
Year and month Sorties 1990 January 11,263 February 10,152 March 16,362 April 10,871 May 13,329 June 11,709 July 13,704 August 11,309 September 11,361 October 13,166 November 11,834 December 6,330 Total 141,390 1991 January 8,990 February 7,471 March 10,814 April 12,300 May 12,556 June 11,662 July 12,971 August 10,676 September 11,229 October 11,097 November 11,226 December 6,408 Total 127,400 1992 January 9,628 February 12,691 March 13,176 April 10,575 May 12,276 June 12,105 July 13,105 August 10,003 September 11,291 October 11,058 November 9,684 December 5,872 Total 131,464 1993 January 9,024 February 10,121 March 13,009
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of Skyguard radars within the United Kingdom which are currently utilised to monitor low-flying activity.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Skyguard radar system used to monitor low flying activity within the United Kingdom is based at RAF Waddington. The radars are mobile and are deployed to various locations around the country to monitor low flying.