§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Since when the number of Soviet intrusions into the United Kingdom air defence region has been classified; how many such intrusions there were per week on the last occasion that the Government gave the figures; and whether the current figure is higher or lower.
§ The Minister of State for Defence Support (Lord Trefgarne)The precise number of penetrations of the United Kingdom Air Defence Region by Warsaw Pact aircraft is not, and never has been, published for reasons of security. It is possible to give a figure in general terms and the most recent was three to four a week, rising significantly during periods of major Soviet exercise activity. (Official Report (Commons), 25/10/85; col. W276/7). This compares with the figure of four that I gave the noble Lord when I wrote to him on 31st October 1983.