Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions Russian aircraft not using an on-board transponder have been detected in (a) approaches to and (b) inside UK airspace in each of the last five years; and if he will make statement.

I am withholding details of the number of occasions Russian military aircraft were detected approaching UK airspace. The disclosure of this information would reveal details of the air defence of the UK which would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. There have been no unauthorised incursions by Russian military aircraft into UK sovereign airspace.