Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for
Transport how many aeroplanes were subject to (a) carbon monoxide, (b)
carbon dioxide and (c) ozone gas level monitoring in cabin air in 2008;
in how many and what percentage of cases levels of each gas above acceptable
levels were detected; and if he will make a statement. [273037]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The
presence of gases in aircraft cabin air is not routinely monitored in the
There are however
occasional bad smells or “fume events” during flights, which are estimated to
occur on approximately 0.05 per cent of flights overall (one in 2000).
The Department for
Transport funded research is under way to capture samples of aircraft cabin air
during normal conditions and fume events and analyse them to see what
substances they contain and in what concentrations.
The research
findings will be published as a whole once they are written up and peer
reviewed.
Since 2006 the
Government have a statutory duty to safeguard the health of persons on
aircraft. As far as we know, that is unique to the