§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present strength of the Royal Air Force Regiment; and if he will make a statement on the role of this branch in the defence and security of RAF establishments and the maintenance of military skills in this service.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe RAF Regiment is undergoing force reductions from just over 3,000 regular personnel in 1991 to about 2,400 personnel in 1995, a reduction of over 20 per cent. It is responsible for the defence of RAF airfields and installations at home and overseas against ground and low-level air attacks; for counter-terrorist measures; for measures to mitigate the 165W effects of nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional weapons; for the training of all RAF personnel in ground defence skills, and counter-terrorist guarding duties at stations in the United Kingdom and overseas. The RAF Regiment's volunteer reserve programme has led to the formation of eight auxiliary-manned squadrons for the ground and low-level air defence of stations and installations in the United Kingdom.
Regular units of the RAF Regiment continue to perform operational duties in Northern Ireland, Belize, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands. Officers are also currently deployed on United Nations duties in Cambodia, Kuwait, Iraq and the former Yugoslavia.