§ Mr. John Browneasked the Secretary of State for Defence what methods are used by his Department to charge for the use of military helicopters in emergencies (a) by the National Health Service and (b) for search and rescue services; and what are the reasons for any differences between the methods.
§ Mr. WigginWhere Service helicopters are used to provide an emergency service at the request of the National Health Service, for example to transport patients to hospitals, it is the practice to recover the extra costs involved, principally fuel, in accordance with the normal rules for military aid to the civil community. Different considerations apply in the case of civil search and rescue missions because it is the responsibility of the Department of Trade to provide the service. In some areas of the United Kingdom where there is no Service requirement for search and rescue the Department of Trade pays the full costs of providing the service, with the Ministry of Defence acting as its agent. Elsewhere, because there is a Service need for search and rescue, helicopters are provided on behalf of Department of Trade and the costs are borne by the defence budget.