§ Baroness Strangeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to maintain the existing level of service of the Wessex Helicopter Rescue Service at RAF Leuchars.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Viscount Cranborne)As my right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced in another place on 21st October, the RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter force in Great Britain is being restructured to form an all Sea King force by 1996. B Flight 22 Squadron at RAF Leuchars will be withdrawn from service on 1st April 1993 and will not be replaced. Military helicopter SAR cover in Scotland will be provided by the RAF Sea King flights at RAF Lossiemouth and Boulmer and the RN Sea King flight at RNAS Prestwick. Full details of the changes are in the Defence Open Government DocumentThe Future Provision of Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Helicopters, copies of which are in the Library of the House.