§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the live-day journey time and lack of toilet and other facilities aboard Hercules aircraft, he will arrange for crews in the Armilla patrol to be flown to leave in the United Kingdom aboard speedier aircraft with better facilities.
§ Mr. Ian StewartTo date, crews of warships deployed on the Armilla patrol have generally returned to the United Kingdom either with their ships or by commercial airline.
Over the Christmas leave period we plan to use VC10s or Tristars of the RAF air transport force for this purpose. There is at present a regular weekly flight by RAF Hercules to the Gulf area, carrying freight on the outward journey. These aircraft are used to carry small numbers of service men to and from the Gulf when necessary. Travel by Hercules involves a two-day journey made up of two eight-hour flying legs with an overnight stay in Cyprus.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the paucity of local facilities for rest and recreation, he will provide funds to improve furnishings and fittings in ratings mess-rooms aboard the minesweepers and other vessels of the Armilla patrol.
§ Mr. Ian StewartMess decks in vessels serving with the Armilla patrol are furnished in accordance with standards applying to, and reflecting the operational and safety requirements of, the fleet as a whole.
Within these limitations, we will continue to seek ways of reducing the particular discomforts of this task. For instance, as I told the House on 28 October at column 312, we are despatching additional air conditioning units to HMS Abdiel.
§ Mr. Kaufmanasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will arrange for crews of the minesweepers, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and support vessels attached to the 880W Armilla patrol to have the same opportunities for rest and recreation in Mombasa as the crews of other Armilla patrol ships.
§ Mr. Ian StewartUnlike the destroyers and frigates of the Armilla patrol, which operate on a rotational basis allowing one to be detached for recreation and maintenance visits to Mombasa or elsewhere, the mine counter-measures vessels and support vessels are all for the time being required to remain continuously in the area of the Gulf. It is, therefore, not possible to detach them for recreation and maintenance visits elsewhere. We endeavour to arrange, at appropriate intervals, rest and recreation visits for these vessels to ports in the area of the Gulf as operational circumstances permit. We are in the course of making arrangements for a period of mid-tour leave for the naval personnel on the MCM Vs and support vessels.