RAF Aircraft Losses (Hansard, 12 March 1996)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe)
My Lords, a total of seven RAF aircraft have been lost since the beginning of December 1995.

§ The Earl of Kinnoull
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Can he say whether investigations have shown that there is any pattern of accidents either from low flying or from mechanical failure of certain types of aircraft; and whether such losses will be replaced?

Earl Howe
My Lords, separate RAF boards of inquiry are carrying out thorough investigations in order to determine the cause of each of these accidents. In line with normal policy a summary of each inquiry's findings will be placed in the Library of the House in due course. The Government are in no way complacent about these accidents but there is no common thread to link the accidents together at this stage. The aircraft involved will be replaced from the attrition reserve.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, does the noble Earl agree that one extraordinary feature is the different types of aircraft involved in this large number of crashes? Will the inquiries therefore be broad ones and will they consider questions such as morale? Will he also let us have the figures for previous years?

Earl Howe
My Lords, I do not believe that morale in the RAF, although a serious matter, has any bearing on this unfortunate series of accidents. The noble Lord asked about the accident figures in previous years. Perhaps I may refer him to a Written Answer to the noble Lord, Lord Judd, which appeared in Hansard recently.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, does the noble Earl agree that the aircraft that have been lost are not minor aircraft? They were, after all, two Tornado F3s, two Tornado GR1s, one Jaguar, two Sea Harriers from the Navy and one Harrier, and the combined cost of replacing them is of the order of £200 million. Furthermore, the number of crashes in the whole of 732 1995 was 10. Is there not something seriously wrong with the maintenance of these aircraft? Are the Government satisfied that the aircraft taking off are properly maintained and that there is not too much pressure on the personnel in their budget and in their performance ratio?

Earl Howe
My Lords, I do not hold with that suggestion for a moment. There is no doubt that the RAF has been busy. The demands on it have been heavy. But the reductions in the number of aircraft and personnel in the RAF have been carefully planned, they have been approved by the air force board, they are consistent with the RAF's commitments and they certainly do not compromise either the requirement for RAF training or indeed for maintenance.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, in that case, can the noble Earl say why a Hawk Trainer took off from RAF Valley, Anglesey with its ailerons disconnected after maintenance, killing the pilot?

Earl Howe
My Lords, it really is premature to speculate on the cause of any of these crashes in advance of the outcome of the board of inquiry. If mistakes were made during maintenance by service personnel, then a full inquiry into how that occurred will be held and appropriate action will be taken.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, is it not a fact that aircraft accidents of this kind often occur in bouts for some extraordinary reason and have not been explained in the past?

Earl Howe
My Lords, the noble Lord is correct. We had an unfortunate spate of accidents in the summer of 1994 and then a long period of no accidents at all. I do not think it is right at this stage to attach any particular significance to the fact that we have had another cluster in the past few weeks.

§ Lord Ewing of Kirkford
My Lords, the noble Earl calls in aid the air force board to justify the reductions in personnel. Does that mean that if the air force board had not agreed to the reductions in RAF personnel the Government would not have gone ahead with those reductions?

Earl Howe
My Lords, those are decisions for the air force board. Clearly, if the air force board were to come to Ministers and express disquiet about any proposals, those expressions of disquiet would be taken very seriously. As I said, the air force board agreed to the reductions.

§ Lord Elton
My Lords, there must be concern for the crews as well as for the aircraft. Can my noble friend tell us whether there have been casualties as a result of these accidents?

Earl Howe
My Lords, there have been casualties in a number of these accidents. The Royal Air Force lost two members of the crew and in one of the Royal Navy accidents both occupants of the Harrier were killed. I am sure all noble Lords would like to extend sincere condolences to the families of those involved.