RAF Leuchars

HC Deb 08 May 1990 vol 172 cc113-4W

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence¹ if he is continuing to review search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars;

(2) if he has any proposals for the resumption of 24-hour flying for search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 21 February 1990 at column820.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft are deployed and how many RAF personnel, and of what ranks, are engaged in search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 14 July 1988 at col.321. There are currently two Wessex aircraft at RAF Leuchars available for search and rescue duties.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by month the number of search and rescue missions flown from RAF Leuchars since 24-hour flying was discontinued and the number flown in the equivalent months in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The search and rescue service at RAF Leuchars was reduced to daylight hours only from 1 October 1989. The figures therefore cover search and rescue missions flown from RAF Leuchars from 1 October to 30 April in each of the years from 1984–85 to 1989–90 inclusive.

I can confirm that these arrangements will continue to apply in the future; however, I cannot be specific as to the particular timing of pay and conditions reviews or the resulting awards.