§ Earl Attleeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What criteria and methods are used to determine whether a Royal Air Force pilot is unfit to fly through having taken alcohol or drugs; and what relevant tests are made before flights and after flying accidents. [HL77]
§ Lord BurlisonThe Royal Air Force does not have any specific procedures in place to test a Royal Air Force pilot for drugs or alcohol consumption before flying or after flying accidents. However, Military Flying Regulations require aircrew, including those with supervisory duties, to ensure that they are not suffering from the effects or after effects of alcohol when they report for duty. Aircrew are to minimise 45WA their intake of alcohol during the 24-hour period before flying and no alcohol is to be consumed during the 10-hour period immediately prior to being liable for flying duties. This regulation is applicable to all military aviators and those civilian contractors who fly under military flying regulations.
The Royal Air Force has also operated a random compulsory drugs testing programme since 1 November 1998. This serves to reinforce the Service's policy of zero tolerance towards drug misuse and provides an effective deterrent towards those who would misuse drugs.