§ Baroness Wilcoxasked Her Majesty's Government:
What benefits to the travelling public have flowed from the new inter-departmental Aviation Health Working Group; and what items are on the agenda for the next meeting. [HL1628]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonThe first meeting of the Aviation Health Working Group took place on 26 March 2001. This was a preparatory meeting which was attended by representatives from the permanent members of the group: in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Department of Health, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive. The meeting considered a strategy for taking forward the issues identified in the government response to the Inquiry into Air Travel and Health as within the remit of the Aviation Health Working Group: information on deep vein thrombosis, research issues, in-flight medical emergencies, fitness to fly, health briefings and noise.
It is important that the Aviation Health Working Group meets regularly to consider a very full agenda. The next meeting will be held on 4 May 2001 and meetings will be held roughly every six weeks for the rest of the year. The agenda for the next meeting has not yet been finalised, but interested parties, including health experts and airline representatives, will be invited to attend.