HC Deb 20 January 1997 vol 288 cc451-2W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the flight path and the stopping-off places of the naval helicopter which carried the Duke of York on a training flight on 13 November 1996. [11520]

Mr. Soames

The aircraft left its home base at Portland, delivered a flight crew to the royal naval auxiliary yard Fleetlands, Gosport and then proceeded to collect HRH the Duke of York at Sunningdale while carrying out navigation training in the London helicopter route. A visit to Cowarth Park school was then undertaken during this training and after HRH was returned to Sunningdale the aircraft proceeded to RAF Manston for a military exercise.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who was responsible for agreeing the flight plan of the helicopter which carried the Duke of York on 13 November 1996. [11518]

Mr. Soames

The sortie was fully planned and authorised through the normal chain of command at the royal naval air station, Portland.

Mr. Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the training flight of the naval helicopter which carried the Duke of York on 13 November 1996. [11519]

Mr. Soames

The cost of individual flights is not routinely recorded. The cost of the helicopter training flight which carried HRH the Duke of York on 13 November was accommodated within overall annual training hours and fuel allocations.