§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many interceptions have been made by Royal Air Force aircraft of(a) Soviet military aircraft, (b) other military aircraft and (c) civilian aircraft in the United Kingdom air defence region in each year since 1979;
(2) on how many occasions since 1979 Soviet military aircraft are known to have penetrated the United Kingdom air defence region.
§ Mr. Ian StewartRoyal Air Force aircraft regularly intercept and identify various civil and military aircraft in the United Kingdom air defence region (UKADR). Records of such interceptions are kept only for Soviet military aircraft. Details of penetrations of the UKADR by these aircraft, and their interception by the RAF, are classified. On average, however, Soviet military aircraft are intercepted in the UKADR by the RAF three or four times each week. This number can be much higher during Warsaw pact exercises.
§ Mr. MacdonaldTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1979 Soviet military aircraft are known to have penetrated United Kingdom territorial airspace.
§ Mr. Ian StewartNone.