3 Apr 2008
: Column 1191W
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether (a)
the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) her Department has commissioned
research on the effect of oil leaks of engines on passengers and crew of Boeing
757s. [198164]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 1 April 2008]: The health and
safety of passengers and crew is a priority for the Government, which is
leading research into “fume events.” This research is not exclusive to Boeing
757s.
In 2007 the Department for Transport began a world
first research project to try to capture and analyse substances released during
transient fume events. The first stage of this work was to identify and test
equipment capable of sampling any potentially harmful substances in cabin air.
The report into this first stage work was published by
In addition, the Committee on Toxicity published their
report into the cabin environment in September 2007. The report is available on
the Committee's website:
www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/cotnonfood/index.htm
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what
representations she has received from the airline industry on illnesses caused
by chemicals from oils and lubricants leaking into cabin air supplies. [198165]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 1 April 2008]: The British Air
Transport Association (BATA) is an active member of the Aviation Health Working
Group (AHWG), the stakeholder forum for aviation health. A number of airlines
have volunteered to participate in the cabin air sampling study.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many
representations she has received from (a) airline pilots, (b)
passengers and (c) air crew on illnesses relating to cabin air
contaminated by engine leakage. [198550]
Jim Fitzpatrick: We would not necessarily expect individual pilots or
cabin crew to contact the Secretary of State as their main representative
organisations, BALPA and the T and G, are members of the Aviation Health
Working Group, the stakeholder forum for all aviation health issues. With
regard to passengers, figures quoted by the Air Transport Users Council to the
House of Lords inquiry into ‘Air Travel and Health in 2007 noted that “out of a
total of 20,000 written complaints since January 2001, 58 were categorised as
medical”. Of those 58 the main issues raised were pregnancy; injuries,
typically from skiing; and allergies, typically from peanuts.