§ Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the service life of the Chipmunk primary trainers of the Royal Air Force by a re-sparring and refurbishing operation; and what is his estimate of the cost involved.
§ Mr. LambtonWe expect to withdraw the Chipmunk from the primary stage of flying training in due course, without replacement, but to retain Chipmunks in a number of other rôles. We are currently reviewing the engineering work required to ensure the continued operation of aircraft for this purpose.