Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whom his Department consulted on its decision as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review to disband the No 2 squadron of Tornado aircraft.

The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 did not decide to disband Number II(AC) Tornado squadron. It took the decision to move, as part of our plans for Future Force 2020, to a fast jet fleet of Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, and to retain a reduced Tornado fleet in the transitional period. Decisions on the timetable for reducing the Tornado fleet were made subsequently and are adjusted as necessary based on advice. Most recently I decided to retain a third Tornado squadron, including Number II(AC) squadron, for an additional year until March 2016.