§ 15. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Minister of Defence what discussions he had in Washington on the subject of joint preparations for Civil Defence.
§ Mr. SandysNone, Sir.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister aware that I did not ask him what plans he had for defending the civil population? Did it not occur to him at Washington to think of the civil population as an afterthought, just as an accident, and is he still responsible for a scheme to evacuate 12 million people from this country? In view of the fact that we are 2,000 miles nearer the rockets he spoke about than is New York, ought he not to have some plans for evacuating these 12 million people to a safer part of the United States?
§ Mr. SandysAs I think the hon. Gentleman knows, there are already good arrangements for close consultation between members of the N.A.T.O. alliance, including, of course, the United States.