HC Deb 23 October 2001 vol 373 cc109-10W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts being administered by Serco on behalf of his Department. [8575]

Mr. Ingram

[holding answer 18 October 2001]: The following contracts are being administered by Serco Ltd. on behalf of this Department.

  • SATC2/031
  • ICSS/1042
  • DE32/7113
  • CB/STC5/5010
  • AARC1B/00034
  • CDCRBG/1253
  • NRTA1B/0135
  • DLO/MTSC/0006
  • MCP12B/366
  • STC8/009
  • N/ISFS/10121
  • CHOTS/12671

Mr. Ingram

On current plans, the first squadron of Royal Navy Merlin helicopters will be fully operational and ready for deployment in May 2002 with further squadrons progressively achieving this status up to 2005.

A total of 44 Merlin HM Mark 1 helicopters has been ordered for the Royal Navy. Of the 34 aircraft already delivered, 14 are in the operational fleet. The remaining 10 aircraft are due to be delivered by the end of financial year 2002–03.

To date 31 Royal Naval pilots and eight RAF pilots have been trained to fly the Merlin helicopter, with a further five Royal Naval and two RAF pilots currently undergoing training.