HC Deb 28 March 1985 vol 76 cc647-8
17. Dr. Blackburn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a civil defence emergency centre in Mid Glamorgan.

Mr. Giles Shaw

There is no civil defence emergency centre in Mid-Glamorgan.

Dr. Blackburn

Will my hon. Friend tell the House when we should expect operational centres to be available in Mid-Glamorgan, because it is important, in the context of civil defence, that they are there for any other disasters that may take place in the county of Mid-Glamorgan?

Mr. Shaw

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that this is a disastrous state of affairs. There should be eight such centres in the county of Mid-Glamorgan. We have already taken the initial steps by contacting the local authority in order to put things right.

18. Dr. Twinn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to monitor the implementation of the Civil Defence Regulations 1983 in the Principality of Wales.

Mr. Shaw

The civil defence questionnaire last year to all county authorities provided a basis for the development of further monitoring. This will be achieved primarily by visits from the civil defence adviser to the Home Office, but also by questionnaires, as appropriate.

Dr. Twinn

Will my hon. Friend announce minimum standards which must be reached within a set time limit within the Principality?

Mr. Shaw

My hon. Friend should know that we have agreed to require all local authorities, including those in the Principality, to set down their plans for implementing the 1983 regulations by the end of this year.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

In so far as the authorities are prepared to implement the civil defence regulations, will the Minister also make available to those authorities the details of what would happen in the event of the nuclear winter, which details I believe his Department is at the moment suppressing?

Mr. Shaw

I assure the hon. Gentleman that we have had discussions with most of the local authority associations on various matters connected with civil defence, including that particular theory. The hypothesis of the nuclear winter has yet to be properly validated, and until it is so validated the Government cannot take a view on it.