To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) of 16 May 2003, Official Report, column 442W, in which locations chartered Antonovs were used in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; what the total cost of chartering the Antonovs has been since October 2001; how many Antonovs are under charter; and if he will make a statement. [116052]

Chartered Antonovs have been used in the locations set out as follows:

2001	2002	2003
Afghanistan	Afghanistan	Afghanistan
Kenya	Falkland Islands	Bahrain
Oman	Kenya	Cyprus
—	Oman	Jordan
—	Trinidad	Kuwait

2001	2002	2003
—	USA	Qatar
—	—	Saudi Arabia
—	—	Sierra Leone
—	—	United Arab Emirates

The total cost of Antonov charters since October 2001 has been some £48.5 million. This figure is provisional and subject to final audit. There are no Antonov aircraft currently on charter but a requirement may arise at any time for such commercial airlift, to supplement the RAF Air Transport Force, in time of crisis or high tasking. The Antonov AN-124 is used in a heavy-lift role and is primarily utilized for the movement of out-sized or wheeled loads which exceed the capacity of RAF aircraft. Such large capacity can enable the more rapid deployment of equipment in support of UK operations overseas.