Written question asked by Gwyneth Dunwoody (Labour) on Friday, 2 June 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 June 2000. It was answered by Chris Mullin (Labour) on Thursday, 8 June 2000 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the result of the trials on the effects of mobile phones on flight safety carried out by the CAA; what recommendations have been made by the CAA as a result of these trials; and what changes will be made to flight safety rules as a result. - Includes ref to: www.srg.caa.co.uk/srg/srg-news/asp.

Answer: Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the result of the trials on the effects of mobile phones on flight safety carried out by the CAA; what recommendations have been made by the CAA as a result of these trials; and what changes will be made to flight safety rules as a result. [124783] Mr. Mullin: The CAA carried out tests on the level of interference from passengers' mobile phones on the avionics systems of two aircraft parked at Gatwick Airport in February. These tests confirmed that mobile phone transmissions (including those made when a phone is on standby) made near an aircraft's flight deck or avionics equipment will produce interference that exceeds certification levels for some equipment. Consequently, the CAA will maintain their policy of prohibiting the use of mobile phones by passengers while an aircraft's engines are running. The CAA is also consulting airport operators and airlines about the viability and value of additional measures to further minimise the risks of inadvertent operation of portable telephones. Such additional measures could include reminder notices in airport departure lounges and at aircraft boarding points and the introduction by airlines of detection equipment and related procedures to ensure telephones are switched off. The full report of the tests is available on the CAA's website: www.srg.caa.co.uk/srg/srg--news.asp.

Secondary information