HC Deb 20 July 1989 vol 157 cc321-2W
Mr. Mans

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has plans to widen the opportunities for the employment of women in the Royal Air Force; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Neubert

We intend to widen the opportunities for women in the Royal Air Force by recruiting and training them as pilots and navigators for the following aircraft:

Operational aircraft Training aircraft
Tristar Chipmunk
VC10/VC10K Bulldog
Hercules Jet Provost
Victor Tucano
Sentry (AWACS) Hawk (AFT only)
HS 125 Dominie
BAe 146 Jetstream
Andover Gazelle
Canberra Wessex
Sea King
Wessex (SAR)

It remains Government policy that women should not undertake direct combatant duties, and this has determined the aircraft in which women will act as aircrew.

We intend to begin recruiting immediately, and in the first instance shall be looking for up to 10 per cent. women recruits, (25 pilots and 10 navigators) in the first year, but this will be kept under review.