Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on (a) RAF rapid-response capabilities and (b) national security of the pause in RAF pilot training.
There has been no impact. Flying training was paused very briefly in March in order to assess how it could continue to be delivered safely and in compliance with Government guidelines, but the RAF has continued to meet its operational commitments, alongside supporting the Government's COVID-response efforts, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.