HC Deb 02 December 1994 vol 250 cc943-4W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement with the Italian authorities pertaining to the use by Italian Air Force combat aircraft of low flying and range facilities in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Soames

No formal agreement exists. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 4 February 1994,Official Report, column 996.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the deployment of Italian Air Force AMX aircraft to(a) Royal Air Force Coningsby from 11 to 15 July, (b) Royal Air Force Cottesmore from 11 to 14 July, (c) Royal Air Force Cottesmore from 22 to 26 July, (d) Royal Air Force Waddington from 5 September and (e) Royal Air Force Cottesmore from 10 to 14 October; how many aircraft took part; which Royal Air Force unit hosted the visits; how many low-level sorties were undertaken by the aircraft during the deployment, and at what minimum permitted altitudes; and how many of these sorties included use of the Spadeadam range.

Mr. Soames

The purpose of the Italian air force deployments was to utilise the electronic warfare tactics range at RAF Spadeadam and to carry out low flying training within the United Kingdom low flying system. The authorised minimum separation distance on each occasion was 500 ft.

Details of the individual deployments are as follows:

Dates Host station and unit Numbers of participating aircraft Total numbers of sorties
11–14 July RAF Cottesmore 6 24
No specific unit
11–15 July RAF Coningsby 6 24
56 Squadron
22–26 August RAF Cottesmore 6 16
No specific unit
5–16 September RAF Waddington 6 50

Dates Host station and unit Numbers of participating aircraft Total numbers of sorties
No specific unit
10–14 October RAF Cottesmore 6 12
No specific unit

All of the sorties listed included use of Spadeadam range. It should be noted that the second deployment to RAF Cottesmore took place in August, and not July as stated in the question.