Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of basing Royal Navy Lynx Wildcat helicopters on the east coast to reduce flight times to Critical National Infrastructure in the North Sea and environs.

Royal Navy assets are based at locations where they can be logistically supported and are at their most agile. The Wildcat Maritime Force, which is based at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, is one of a range of assets held at high readiness that could be deployed by the Royal Navy to respond to any threat in UK waters.