§ 2.35 p.m.
VISCOUNT BRTDGEMANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps have so far been taken to notify Local Civil Defence and Fire Authorities of the decision to give increased training to the Territorial Army in Civil Defence and Fire Fighting duties announced in Parliament on January 22 last; and whether it is intended to arrange for the use of fire-fighting equipment by the Territorial Army in time for this year's camp season.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD DERWENT)My Lords, the attention of fire authorities has been called to the announcement in the Statement on Defence 1964 that units of the Territorial Army should be trained in emergency fire-fighting techniques, and they have been invited to make available suitable professional members of fire brigades to undertake the instruction of the Territorial Army. I am glad to say that there has been an excellent response to this invitation, and a chief instructor and instructors have been selected. Arrangements have been made for the necessary fire-fighting equipment to be available for the training of Territorial Army units. Training will be carried out at the Army School of Civil Defence at Devizes and will start towards the end of the 1964 camping season. The full number of units will be trained in 1965. No additional Civil Defence training is contemplated.