§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many interceptions of Soviet aircraft in the United Kingdom air defence region took place in each of the past five years;
(2) how many interceptions of Soviet aircraft in NATO early warning area 12 took place in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. WellbelovedA constant radar watch is maintained on all aircraft which approach our shores without adequate notification. We do not choose to intercept them all, but fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force are sent to approach and identify those aircraft that we want to check. We are not prepared to publish detailed statistics of interceptions by RAF aircraft in these areas, but on average they have taken place two or three times a week. There have been no unauthorised flights by Soviet aircraft into the United Kingdom sovereign airspace.