§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what factors are taken into consideration when deciding the annual programme of appearances at air displays for the Red Arrows; and if he will make a statement regarding next year's programme;
(2) what representations he has received regarding the annual programme for the Red Arrows display team; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonTo date, the Ministry of Defence has received nearly 200 requests for public appearances by the Red Arrows in 1990.
At the end of each year, a Ministry of Defence committee considers all the requests received for appearances by the Red Arrows, and other RAF display teams and aircraft, at public events the following year. The main aims of RAF participation in such events are to create good public relations and to attract recruits into the service. With these aims in mind, the committee considers factors such as likely crowd size, expected media coverage, geographical location, whether repeat performances are being sought, and financial and practical considerations.
The committee plans to meet in December 1989 to decide the programme for the Red Arrows, and the other RAF display teams and aircraft, for 1990.