§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of the RAF to meet its commitments. [25797]
§ Mr. SoamesI am fully confident that the RAF continues to have the capacity to meet its operational commitments.
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§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has introduced to reduce overstretch in the RAF. [25798]
§ Mr. SoamesThe Royal Air Force has introduced a number of temporary measures to minimise the burden on personnel during the current drawdown. These include provisions to postpone tactical and operational evaluations and scale down formal inspections and staff visits. Such measures are a sensible way of ensuring that operational capabilities are maintained over this transitional period.