§ 2.54 p.m.
§ Lord Murton of LindisfarneMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government by what date they will issue guidance to local authorities to enable them to identify suitable public shelters for civil defence purposes.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Glenarthur)My Lords, we plan to issue this guidance as a supplementary handbook to the 8 consolidated guidance on emergency planning in the next few weeks.
§ Lord Murton of LindisfarneMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Has any study been made of the practice adopted by the Swedish and Swiss Governments, whereby they incorporate in new structures—in both commercial and industrial buildings—public shelters?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1984 require local authorities to make plans for utilising existing structures, and indeed natural features, as shelters for the public. The Government have also published advice on various kinds of contingency and purpose-built domestic shelters. I am sure that the kind of consideration to which my noble friend referred will have been taken into account.
§ Lord Jenkins of PutneyMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that both the Swedish and Swiss Governments, given as an example by his noble friend, have no nuclear weapons upon their soil? Is he aware also that it is a condition of effective civil defence to get rid of the nuclear weapon? Will he take a lesson from the suggestion of his noble friend?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I do not agree with the noble Lord. I suggest that the best way to meet the kind of concern which he often expresses is to rely on our policy of deterrence.
§ Lord RentonMy Lords, will my noble friend ensure that the shelter policy is co-ordinated with the Government's crisis relocation plans?
§ Lord GlenarthurMy Lords, I am sure that it is one of the many factors taken into account.