Mr. DenzilDavies asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is with his approval that two serving Royal Air Force officers are directly connected with a private company, Lea Aviation Limited, using Royal Air Force assets for commercial gain;
(2) what are the guidelines for circumstances whereby serving military personnel are allowed to be directly connected with commercial organisations whose business includes the use, for private profit, of military equipment.
§ Mr. Freeman[pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1987, c. 71]: Serving military personnel who wish to he connected with commercial organisations of any sort are required by the Queen's Regulations to seek approval; in the case of the Royal Air Force by QR(RAF) paragraph J910. The two serving Royal Air Force officers connected with Lea Aviation Ltd. have received approval under this regulation.
§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who authorised the use by Lea Aviation Limited of an airshow on the North Weald airfield, Epping, of front-line Royal Air Force aircraft including Tornados, Harriers and Hawks;
(2) on what basis is the amount paid by Lea Aviation Limited to his Department for the use of Royal Air Force assets computed;
(3) whether the contract for the use of Royal Air Force aircraft at the recent private airshow operated by Lea Aviation Limited at the North Weald Airfield, Epping, was put out for tender;
(4) who provided the security arrangements for the protection of the Tornado, Harrier and Hawk aircraft 231W which took part in a recent airshow organised by Lea Aviation Limited at North Weald Airfield, Epping; and who paid for the arrangements.
§ Mr. Freeman[pursuant to his reply, 7 July 1987, c.71]: The presence of RAF aircraft at the air display at North Weald on 27–28 June was authorised under long-standing arrangements for the participation by the Royal Air Force in public functions in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. For the 1987 display season RAF resources have so far been allocated to some 328 events including that at North Weald. Charges for RAF participation in this event, were levied in accordance with regulations made by the Ministry of Defence: the organisers also provided and paid for security arrangements to the standard agreed with the RAF.