§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Royal Air Force practice with regard to charging local authorities for airlifting fire crews to light fires on islands; and whether any standing arrangements exist with individual fire authorities to make helicopters available for this purpose.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonWhere military search and rescue SAR helicopters fly to islands to rescue people from life-threatening fires, local authorities are not charged for airlifting fire crews at the same time. Where life is not in danger, however, and SAR helicopters would not otherwise have attended the incident, appropriate charges 505W are raised. There are currently standing arrangements with the local authorities of Devon, Cornwall and the Highlands and Islands covering such assistance.