Defence written question – answered am ar 30 Ebrill 2009.
Nick Harvey
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) how many military helicopters have been available to provide search and rescue cover in each of the last 12 months;
(2) how many search and rescue helicopters were available on average to provide cover for such activities in each year since 2003.
Bob Ainsworth
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
The average number of UK based Search and Rescue Royal Navy and RAF helicopters available for tasking in each year since 2003 is shown in the following table:
| Average number of helicopters | |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 26 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2008 | 26 |
Helicopter availability in each of the last 12 months is shown in the following table:
| Average number of helicopters | |
| 2008 | |
| April | 26 |
| May | 26 |
| June | 25 |
| July | 25 |
| August | 25 |
| September | 26 |
| October | 26 |
| November | 26 |
| December | 25 |
| 2009 | |
| January | 25 |
| February | 25 |
| March | 26 |
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