HC Deb 16 February 1994 vol 237 cc819-20W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the titles of all survey and research reports produced by the Royal Air Force Institute of Community and Occupational Medicine since 1989.

Mr. Hanley

Since 1989 the RAF Institute of Health and Medical Training (RAF IHNT), formerly known as the Royal Air Force Institute of Community and Occupational Medicine (ICOM), has issued about 280 reports covering an extensive range of occupational and public health issues affecting the Royal Air Force worldwide. They include classified, in-confidence or otherwise sensitive subjects. All were produced solely for internal use within my Department and it would not be appropriate to release a complete list of titles.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current and planned activities of the Royal Air Force Institute of Community and Occupational Medicine relating to aircraft noise.

Mr. Hanley

The RAF Institute of Health and Medical Training's current research activities include investigation of the noise levels surrounding helicopter landing sites and development of criteria for classifying the effect of night-time helicopter noise. The institute is undertaking research with Salford university into the noise effects of light aircraft operations. It also provides a member for a working group which is examining the feasibility of a study to investigate the possible effects on health of noise from low flying aircraft.

The institute has a number of research tasks planned in addition to the routine surveys of the noise contours around operational airfields. Future tasks include incorporating helicopter noise data into the AIRNOISE computer model and the calculation of noise from Chinook auxiliary power supply engines.