Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many incidents of (a) irresponsible and (b) reckless flying have been reported (a) on the Machynlleth Loop and (b) in Wales in each of the last five years; and what steps he is taking to ensure that pilots behave appropriately and responsibly.

The information is not held in the format requested.

The Defence Flying Complaints Investigations Team (DFCIT) is charged with investigating instances of military low flying complaints reported by members of the public. The table below gives the number of investigations undertaken for the whole of Wales and the number of occasions that were identified as a breach of flying regulations.

All RAF pilots receive extensive training to ensure they operate in accordance with the appropriate low flying regulations and this training is re-emphasised throughout their careers. These stringent regulations are in place in order to protect the public, our aircrew and aircraft. All aspects of flight safety are kept under continuous review. Aircrew are not permitted to carry out manoeuvres beyond their proven capabilities, or those of the aircraft. All our pilots are constantly assessed to ensure that high standards of professionalism are maintained.