HC Deb 11 April 1986 vol 95 c218W
Viscount Cranborne

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he has any plans to train the Territorial Army to operate flex-wing microlight aircraft in support of the roles for which it was responsible in Exercise Brave Defender;

(2) if he has any plans to replace helicopters with flex-wing micro light aircraft in visual reconnaissance on border patrols in Northern Ireland and perimeter patrols at cruise missile bases in England;

(3) if he has any plans to assess the potential contribution of flex-wing microlight aircraft flown by infantrymen to essential reconnaissance in support of rear area security in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's central region;

(4) whether he has any plans to assess over the past two years the role of flex-wing microlight aircraft in the deployment of man-portable anti-tank guided weapons in manoeuvre warfare;

(5) whether he has any plans to use flex-wing microlight aircraft as a replacement for light helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in the armed services.

Mr. Norman Lamont

I shall write to my hon. Friend.