HC Deb 11 February 2000 vol 344 c344W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours per year were provided for in RAF fuel allocations for(a) Tornado GR1/4, (b) Tornado F3, (c) Harrier, (d) Jaguar, (e) Nimrod, (f) Sentry, (g) Tristar, (h) Puma, (i) Sea King and (j) Chinook in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [107550]

Mr. Spellar

[holding answer 2 February 2000]: The requested information is in the following table which shows projected flying hours made at the beginning of each year by the squadrons concerned. The fuel allocation is then based on these projections, not the other way round.

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
Tornado GR1/4 33,303 33,623 33,716 33,615 28,756
Tornado F3 32,183 30,440 31,049 30,343 25,694
Harrier 16,157 16,688 17,588 17,870 15,895
Jaguar 14,037 13,839 13,911 13,735 13,413
Nimrod 14,298 13,759 15,339 13,313 12,936
Sentry 4,446 4,446 4,446 4,446 4,446
Tristar 9,456 9,456 9,456 9,560 9,560
Puma 12,987 14,103 15,128 16,523 15,450
Sea King 11,013 12,051 12,622 12,093 10,859
Chinook 9,970 11,881 12,199 14,323 12,617
Totals 157,850 160,286 165,454 165,821 149,626

The reduction in projected hours in the fast jet categories in 1999–2000 reflects the net reduction of 36 aircraft as a result of SDR.