Search and Rescue Operations (Hansard, 22 June 1988)

§ Mr. Wilson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force pilots were assigned to flying duties in operational search and rescue helicopter squadrons in each year since 1979.

§ Mr. Freeman
It is not our practice to reveal numbers of aircrew assigned to specific operational roles. However, I can confirm that the search and rescue force is manned to requirement.

§ Mr. Wilson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force helicopter pilots were under training for the search and rescue role in each year since 1979.

§ Mr. Freeman
The information is as follows:

Year Number

1979–80 14

1980–81 11

1981–82 19

1982–83 20

1983–84 13

1984–85 14

1985–86 18

1986–87 17

1987–88 13

Year	Number
1979–80	14
1980–81	11
1981–82	19
1982–83	20
1983–84	13
1984–85	14
1985–86	18
1986–87	17
1987–88	13