RAF Lossiemouth is a base for Sea King helicopters

The Ministry of Defence said it would make an announcement next month, but opposition parties want answers now.

It has been known since last summer that the government wants to change the way search and rescue is run.

However, it has been reported that the provision of helicopters, crews, training, maintenance and the operation of rescue centres are "up for grabs".

Speculation that it could lead to the sale of bases, including Sumburgh in Shetland, has led opposition parties to call for the uncertainties to be cleared up.

The SNP said it was sceptical that a lifeline service could be privatised.

The Conservatives said they would table questions at Westminster as soon as parliament reconvened on Tuesday.

'No safety advantage'

Tim Walker, director of the national mountain training centre at Glenmore Lodge, said that the idea was looked at 15 years ago.

He said: "We also had a very lengthy and expensive parliamentary inquiry just a few years ago. They concluded that there would be no operational or safety advantage to any change to the system that currently exists.

"Part of the conclusion was that the military recovery rescue services exist anyway and will have to exist for their own prime purpose, which is recovery of military aircraft.

"If the RAF were not involved in civilian mountain rescue then they would be inventing training exercises to give their pilots and air crew the experience they need to keep them operational."

Mr Walker said he believed that the RAF rescue teams from Lossiemouth and Kinloss welcomed the opportunity to get out and be of help to the civilian population.