Air-Sea Rescue Services (Hansard, 23 February 1988)

§ 22. Mr. Lewis
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet completed his consideration of privatisation of air-sea rescue services.

§ 40. Mr. Nellist
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet completed his consideration of privatisation of air-sea rescue services.

§ 41. Mr. Ernie Ross
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet completed his consideration of privatisation of air-sea rescue services.

§ 90. Mr. Darling
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet completed his consideration of privatisation of air-sea rescue services.

§ Mr. Freeman
As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced in this House on 11 February, we have decided that, wherever there is a military requirement for search and rescue, the service will continue to be provided by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
158W
Our consideration of the most effective deployment of our military search and rescue helicopters continues, and we shall announce the outcome as soon as possible.

§ 32. Mr. Nicholas Bennett
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to give a decision on the proposals by Bristow Helicopters Ltd. to take over the search-and-rescue units currently operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

§ Mr. Freeman
As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced in this House on 11 February, we have decided that, wherever there is a military requirement for search and rescue, the service will continue to be provided by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Our consideration of the most effective deployment of our military search and rescue helicopters continues, and we shall announce the outcome as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends that the helicopters presently deployed at RAF Leuchars, for search and rescue operations, should be replaced by more modern equipment.

§ Mr. Freeman
Studies are continuing into the deployment of Royal Navy and Royal Air Force helicopters for search and rescue requirements. The results will be announced shortly.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours have been flown by each of the helicopters deployed at RAF Leuchars for search and rescue operations.

§ Mr. Freeman
During their time in service with the Royal Air Force, the helicopters currently deployed to RAF Leuchars for search and rescue (SAR) operations have flown 8,744 hours and 6,046 hours respectively (as of 19 February 1988). It is not possible to state precisely the proportion of time these have spent on SAR operations, but on average, Royal Air Force helicopters assigned to SAR operations in the United Kingdom fly for 470 hours each year, including training.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the dates of manufacture and of coming into service of all the helicopters deployed at RAF Leuchars for search and rescue operations.

§ Mr. Freeman
The in-service dates of the two aircraft currently deployed at RAF Leuchars are 1964 and 1968 respectively. The precise dates of manufacture are not readily available.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters, and of what make and type, are deployed at RAF Leuchars for search and rescue operations.

§ Mr. Freeman
Two Westland mark 2 Wessex helicopters.

§ Mrs. Margaret Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to conclude current discussions on the future of air-sea rescue services.

§ Mr. Freeman
As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, announced in the House on 11 February, we have decided that, wherever there is a military requirement for search and rescue, the service will continue to be provided by the Royal Navy and Royal Air 159W Force. Our consideration of the most effective deployment of our military search and rescue helicopters continues, and we shall announce the outcome as soon as possible.