It is currently an offence to shine a laser at an aircraft, which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £2,500. If intent to endanger an aircraft can be proved, a suspect can be tried under the Aviation and Safety Act 1982 for offences against the safety of aircraft, including damaging or endangering the safety of aircraft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department continues to work closely with other government departments, the Civil Aviation Authority, as the independent regulator, the industry and other interested parties, like pilots, to consider how best to mitigate risks, and control the sale, use and possession of laser pens.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/350", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir John Hayes"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Holland and The Deepings"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr John Hayes"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-06-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-06-29T10:55:59.117Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transport: Lasers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce legislation to create an offence of shining laser pointers at aircraft and other modes of transport.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4269", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andy McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andy McDonald"} ], "uin" : "1021"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/456559", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/456559/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministers and Officials in the Department have received direct representations from the British Air Line Pilots\u2019 Association (BALPA) on the threat to pilots from a laser strike.<\/p>
<\/p>
Further representations have been received through industry membership to the UK Laser Working Group. The Group which was established by the CAA to develop measures to reduce laser strikes to aircraft includes representatives from British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA), Honourable Company of Air Pilots, various airlines and airport operators, as well as Government Departments and Agencies.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1562", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Scarborough and Whitby"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robert Goodwill"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-03-04T13:36:59.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-03-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transport: Lasers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from transport organisations on the impairment threat of laser pens.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/301", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Northfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burden"} ], "uin" : "29276"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/456560", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/456560/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of arrests made for shining laser pens at road transport, train, or air transport drivers. The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of arrests broken down by offence group and police force area. These data cannot be broken down to identify those arrested for misuse of a laser pen.<\/p>
The Ministry of Justice holds data relating to prosecutions. Data held centrally at the Ministry of Justice cannot be broken down to the level of detail requested. It is not possible to identify if a defendant was proceeded against for the misuse of a laser pen.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1528", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Mike Penning"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemel Hempstead"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mike Penning"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-03-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-03-04T09:31:10.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-03-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Transport: Lasers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) prosecuted for shining laser pens at (i) road transport, (ii) train, (c) air transport drivers in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/301", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burden"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Northfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burden"} ], "uin" : "29155"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }