To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the reported (a) 84 per cent. increase in helicopter hours and (b) 60 per cent. increase in the number of helicopters available to British forces in Afghanistan includes helicopters provided by coalition forces transporting UK armed forces.

The 60 per cent. increase in the number of helicopters and the 84 per cent. increase in helicopter hours available to UK forces in Afghanistan relate to the period from November 2006 to April 2009; these increases do not include helicopters or helicopter hours provided by other coalition forces.