§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of occasions for each year since 1979 that the normal curfew on weekend take-offs and landings at RAF Fairford has been breached; whose authority is required before aircraft are permitted to break the curfew on weekend take-offs and landings at RAF Fairford; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanRAF Fairford was made available to the United States air force on the understanding that certain limitations would apply to aircraft operations during peacetime. These included the avoidance, normally, of weekend flying activity. On a few occasions since 1979 weekend sorties have taken place, with the full agreement of the Ministry of Defence, where these have been shown to be necessary for operational or exercise purposes. A record of these sorties is not held centrally. Because of the closure for repairs of the runway at RAF Mildenhall, the MOD agreed to the redeployment of a small number of USAF aircraft to RAF Fairford for approximately six months. During this period, it has been agreed that a limited amount of weekend flying will be permitted to meet operational requirements. Every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum. The new, temporary, arrangements have been publicised locally and notified to the appropriate authorities.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of occasions for each year since 1979 that the normal curfew on Sunday morning take-offs at RAF Mildenhall has been breached; whose authority is required before aircraft are permitted to break the curfew on Sunday morning take-offs at RAF Mildenhall; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanThere is no such curfew at RAF Mildenhall. However, every effort is made by the United States air force to keep weekend flying to the minimum consistent with the station's operational requirements.