§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the distance flown by helicopters from RAF Chivenor to the rendezvous with West Glamorgan firefighters during Operation Seafire on 17 October off the west Wales coast; what was the distance flown from that rendezvous to the Stena Sea Lynx; and what was the average speed (i) over each leg of the journey from Chivenor to the Sea Lynx separately and (ii) over the whole journey, excluding the stop in west Glamorgan.
§ Mr. SoamesThe distances flown by, and average speed of, the RAF search and rescue helicopter involved in Exercise Seafire on 10 October 1994 are shown in the table:
Distance nm Average speed kts RAF Chivenor to rendezvous point 86 110 Rendezvous point to Stena Sea Lynx 51 125 The average speed over the whole journey, excluding the stop in west Glamorgan, was 118 kts.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Mr. David Hart was last employed by his Office and for what reason he left; what role Mr. Hart played in providing written or oral advice in the defence costs study initiative; and what access he had to official information concerning the replacement programme for the Hercules transport aircraft or information supplied by British Aerospace concerning its participation in the future large aircraft.
§ Mr. FreemanMr. David Hart is one of a number of unpaid, independent advisers who provide my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence with informal advice from time to time. At my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's request, he was involved in the defence costs study, "Front Line First", 149W but he has not been involved in deliberations on the replacement programme for Hercules transport aircraft.