University Air Squadrons (Hansard, 25 October 1995)

§ Mr. Wilkinson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the existing university air squadrons in the United Kingdom and those which he plans to relocate or close during the next three years. [39349]

§ Mr. Soames
The existing university air squadrons are as follows:

Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrews

Birmingham

Bristol

Cambridge

East Lowlands

East Midlands

Glasgow and Strathclyde

Liverpool

London

Manchester and Salford

Northumbrian

Oxford

Queens

Southampton

Wales

Yorkshire

Current proposals include the closure of Queen's university air squadron at the end of the 1995–96 academic year, and the relocation of East Lowlands university air squadron to RAF Leuchars by 1 April 1996.

§ Mr. Wilkinson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need for alternative training facilities for members of the university air squadron of Queen's university, Belfast; and if he will make a statement. [39352]

§ Mr. Soames
Should the decision be taken to close Queen's university air squadron, alternative training facilities would in future be made available at other squadrons on the mainland for RAF sponsored students in Northern Ireland. Additional travelling expenses would be met by the Department.