asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the operational purpose of stationing seven United States Air Force B-52G strategic bombers at RAF Fairford; on how many occasions in the last five years the number of United States Air Force aircraft stationed here has exceeded this figure; and if he will make a statement.

This is a temporary deployment, from 24 May to 20 June. A series of such deployments of B52 aircraft take place each year in support of NATO exercises and are designed to test the United States Air Force's conventional capability in the NATO area. Previous such deployments have been on a smaller scale: the present, larger, deployment is of greater training value.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the number of deployments of United States Air Force aircraft at RAF airfields in the United Kingdom for the years 1982, 1983, 1984 and the numbers planned for 1985.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the operational purpose of the stationing of United States Air Force A-7 attack aircraft at RAF Waddington; and if he will make a statement.

36 USAF A7 Corsair aircraft were temporarily deployed to RAF Waddington from 11 May to 8 June 1985. This was a routine training deployment, designed to familiarise USAF aircrew with operations in European airspace.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the operational purpose of the proposed stationing of United States Air Force F-4D Phantom aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth in the autumn of 1985; and if he will make a statement.

A temporary exercise deployment is under consideration but no decision has been reached.