§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to identify potential health hazards to civilian aircraft flight officers, cabin crews and passengers from exposure to organophosphate lubricants, in relation to the incident involving a BAe 146 aircraft in Sweden on 12 November; what steps have been taken by the Health and Safety Executive to improve precautions against such exposure since August; and if he will make a statement. [102802]
§ Mr. MullinThe incident referred to involved an American manufactured engine on a Swedish registered aircraft. The UK authorities are not therefore involved in the investigation of the incident. A fault was identified with the engine which has now been returned to the United States for examination by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in conjunction with the manufacturer and British Aerospace. It is far too early to say whether this incident involved an oil leak or any exposure to organophosphate contamination.
I have nothing further to add to the statement on Organophosphates in aircraft engine lubricants made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions, the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson) on 6 May 1999, Official Report, column 434W.