§ Sir A. Hurdasked the Secretary of State for Air if he will make a statement on the extent and cost of the service given recently by Royal Air Force helicopters which have dropped supplies of fodder to outlying livestock in the snow; and if he will convey to the crews the appreciation of farmers and the public for the way in which this task has been carried out.
§ Mr. H. FraserBetween 30th December, 1962, and 26th February, 1963, Royal Air Force helicopters of Coastal and Transport Commands flew some 850 hours delivering supplies of fodder to livestock cut off by the snow. Flights were made throughout the British Isles, but the majority were in South-West England. The cost of the operation, which is still continuing, has been about £80,000. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his expression of appreciation which I will convey to those concerned.
222WThe arithmetical average of the periods of detention in the above cases was 8 years 8 months.
In addition to the 56 persons convicted of murder, 6 persons who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for offences other than murder were released during the years 1958–62 inclusive, after serving periods ranging from 1 year to 7 years.