HC Deb 05 November 1992 vol 213 cc414-5W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each local government region the number of rescues carried out by search and rescue crews from RAF Leuchars in each of the years(a) 1987, (b) 1988, (c) 1989, (d) 1990, (e) 1991 and (f) 1992 to date.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Statistical data are not recorded in the form required.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on how many occasions in each year between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 1991 search and rescue helicopters from RAF Leuchars have been involved in operations which required them to begin or to continue flying during the hours of darkness;

(2) on how many occasions since 1 January search and rescue helicopters from RAF Leuchars have been involved in operations which required them to begin or to continue flying during the hours of darkness.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The number of such operations is:

Number
1987 32
1988 33
1989 21
1990 13
1991 19
11992 15
1 Between 1 January and 31 August 1992.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current mandatory training requirements for night flying airmen which are applicable to search and rescue crews based at RAF Leuchars.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Each crew member should complete a minimum of two hours of night flying per month, which includes navigation training, cliff winching training, mountain training and approaches to night landing sites. Crews at RAF Leuchars are exempt from these requirements during the months of May, June and July provided they complete a minimum of one hour of night flying during the previous two calendar months.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rescue missions have been flown by search and rescue aircraft from RAF Leuchars in the years(a) 1987, (b) 1988, (c) 1989, (d) 1990 and (e) 1991; how many of them have involved the rescue of civilians; and how many have involved the rescue of military personnel.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The table details the total number of rescues—including incidents such as the transfer of sick or injured people from ship to hospital —carried out by the Wessex search-and-rescue flight at RAF Leuchars in the years in question:

year Military callouts Civilian callouts Total callouts
1987 2 47 49
1988 3 57 60
1989 7 38 45
1990 2 38 40
1991 — 66 66