Volunteer Gliding Schools (Hansard, 5 May 1989)

§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of volunteer gliding schools which at present have no airfield in the part of the United Kingdom which they were established to serve.

§ Mr. Neubert
Two volunteer gliding schools established to serve the north-east and south coast of England are currently without an airfield.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can give details of the areas of the United Kingdom which are without a volunteer gliding school; and what proposals his Department has to establish volunteer gliding schools in these areas.

§ Mr. Neubert
The north-east, north-west, and south coast of England are poorly served by volunteer gliding schools. We are currently examining the possibility of acquiring an ex-RAF site in the north-east.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many volunteer gliding schools are operational; and how many are currently in suspense.

§ Mr. Neubert
Twenty-eight are operational and two are in suspense.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of officers and instructors currently on the strength of volunteer gliding schools.

§ Mr. Neubert
Volunteer gliding schools currently have a strength of 235 officers and 233 civilian gliding instructors.
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§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of Volunteer Reserve officers on the staff of volunteer gliding schools who have over 25 years' service.

§ Mr. Neubert
Seven.

§ Mr. Bill Walker
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can give details of the type of motor glider which has been selected to replace the Venture glider at volunteer gliding schools.

§ Mr. Neubert
I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 10 January at column533.