§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government plan to introduce a flying role for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in the near future.
§ Mr. WigginThere are no immediate plans for such a role, but, as my right hon. Friend mentioned on 1 July 1982—[Vol. 26, c. 1061]—some Wessex 5 helicopters may become surplus to Royal Navy requirements as new Sea King 4s are delivered over the next few years. If so, one possibility would be to use them in a supporting role with the predominantly TA reinforcing division, piloted by members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. This option is still being studied.