Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many planes out of each of the Prefects, Texan T1s, Hawk T2s, and E35 Lightening IIs and Typhoons are without appropriate safety equipment for conducting sorties over sea.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
There are no restrictions for Prefect, Hawk T2, Lightning and Typhoon. As set out in my letter to the hon. Member of 7 December 2020, to follow up on your question to my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House on this topic, the Texan aircraft has a temporary restriction to minimise (but not preclude) operation overwater. Therefore, overwater training can still be undertaken, when required, and with a full assessment of the balance of risk relating to the operation.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all Prefects, Texan T1s and Hawk T2 aircraft have been operating throughout the last 12 months.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Other than due to maintenance or fault rectification requirements, all aircraft in the active fleets have been operating over the past 12 months.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with Ascent Consortium on noise pollution and safety procedures; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The collaborative approach to training delivery and safety management systems at RAF Valley ensure expert staff from Ascent are fully integrated into all appropriate operating, safety and environmental working groups at the Station.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the size of the fleet of (a) Texan T1 and (b) Tucano was in each RAF training ground in each year since 2017.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Tucano fleet was headquartered at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and was withdrawn from Service in October 2019. The Texan fleet is headquartered at RAF Valley. The attached table is extracted from the National Statistic - UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations 2020.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many compensation payments and of what amounts were made by his Department in the financial years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2016-17 and (e) 2015-16 by (i) Low Flying Area and (ii) Tactical Training Area where data is available; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) expenditure on compensation claims arising from operational military low flying by Low Flying Area (LFA) for the financial years (FY) 2015-2020 is attached.
Tactical Training Areas are not designated on a permanent basis but limited in use to the published timetables. At all other times the same area is deemed to be the LFA in which it is contained.
In order to ensure that military low flying is as accountable to the public as possible the MOD provides the Low Flying Complaints Enquiry Unit, located at RAF Wittering, which allows the public to report low flying incidents which have raised concern.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the hours were of military low flying within the UK low flying system in financial year 2019-20; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The military low flying statistics are published annually at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-pattern-of-military-low-flying-across-the-uk-index
The hours for financial year 2019-20 are currently being collated and will be published later in 2021. Low flying training in the United Kingdom ensures our Armed Forces are fully competent in a wide range of flying skills and tactics before they deploy on operations.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints his Department's low flying complaints and enquiries unit received in the 2019-20 financial year; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
In calendar years 2019 and 2020, the Low Flying Complaints and Enquiries Unit (LFCEU) received 768 and 1,256 low flying complaints respectively. The figures are currently being collated by financial year for the Department's low flying official statistics return which is published annually at the following website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-pattern-of-military-low-flying-across-the-uk-index
The Ministry of Defence takes its responsibilities to the general public very seriously and measures are taken to provide a balance between essential military training and the need to avoid excessive disturbance on the ground. Low flying activity is spread as widely as possible across the UK to minimise the impact on particular communities.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the RAF’s Texan T1 trainer aircraft has been cleared to operate over water.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The operation of Texan T1 trainers over water is currently minimised on a temporary basis. This is because as part of the aircraft certification process, the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) deemed that the harness on this particular aircraft could not currently be fitted with a water-activated quick-release mechanism which would be required if a pilot became incapacitated in a sea survival situation. Also, in extreme cold weather survival situations, the life raft would not provide extended thermal protection period for the pilot. The RAF is working as a priority exploring options for a new combination of life raft, harness and life jacket on Texan aircraft, that would enable the review of this restriction.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to reduce noise nuisance from Texan T1 aircraft operating from RAF Y Fali over north west Wales.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence recognises that while aircraft bases bring significant benefits to their local area, the noise generated by aircraft can have an impact on local communities. Unfortunately, a level of disturbance is unavoidable.
RAF Valley takes its responsibilities to the public very seriously and seeks to minimise the impact of noise on local residents as far as possible. Restrictions are placed on the height, speeds and operating procedures of all military aircraft, including the Texan T1, and the amount of training conducted is limited to the operational requirement.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many overseas student pilots are being trained at RAF Valley as at 21 April 2020.
Answered by James Heappey
There are currently four overseas students receiving flying training at RAF Valley.