HC Deb 29 June 1993 vol 227 c488W
Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft, of what type and of what age, are deployed at RAF Boulmer for the provision of search and rescue operations.

Mr. Hanley

Two Sea King helicopter air rescue mark 3 helicopters, in the search and rescue role, are deployed at RAF Boulmer. These aircraft first flew in March 1978.

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rescue operations have been flown from RAF Boulmer since the cessation of search and rescue flights from RAF Leuchars to incidents in Tayside, Central, Fife, Strathclyde and Lothian regions.

Mr. Hanley

It is not normally possible to provide statistical data by regional area without incurring disproportionate costs. Due to the very small number of rescues, including incidents such as transfer of sick or injured people from ship to hospital, however, details for the period 1 April to 23 June 1993 are as follows:

Region Number of callouts
Tayside 1
Central —
Fife 2
Strathclyde —
Lothian —

Mr. Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what time RAF Boulmer received a request to provide search and rescue assistance for the rescue of Diane Robertson near Benarty woods, Fife on 20 June; and how long after the receipt of that request it was before an aircraft reached the scene of the rescue.

Mr. Hanley

RAF Boulmer recorded the request at 15.14 on 20 June. The SAR helicopter was diverted from a training sortie and, after refuelling at Boulmer, it reached the incident site at 16.13. The local fire brigade and ambulance were in attendance while the helicopter was on its way to the scene of the incident.

Mr Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each of the last five years for which information is available search and rescue aircraft from RAF Boulmer have engaged in rescue operations with the Anstruther lifeboat or training exercises for such operations.

Mr. Hanley

The search and rescue helicopters from RAF Boulmer have attended two incidents in the past five years which involved the Anstruther lifeboat. There are no records of the RAF Boulmer helicopters training with the Anstruther lifeboats.