National Attack Warning System (Hansard, 5 May 1999)

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, the noble Baroness refers to the National Attack Warning System which the Home Office is developing in conjunction with the British Broadcasting Corporation. We are reviewing the system with the aim of achieving the most cost-effective implementation of the final elements by the end of the current financial year.

§ Baroness Blatch
My Lords, on behalf of the whole House I warmly welcome the noble Lord to the Dispatch 680 Box. A system was selected in 1995 and work began to develop the air warning attack system. Can the Minister explain why there appears to be tension between the Home Office, the MoD, the BBC and the ITC which is preventing that work coming to fruition? Is the money still in the budget? What is the priority now in the Home Office for this project?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her comments. The system has been around for some time. The BBC was commissioned to begin work on the system in 1994, with a planned implementation date in 1998. The noble Baroness is probably much more aware than I am of the problems and delays that have arisen during the period between initiation of the project and the present. Having said that, I assure the noble Baroness that the whole project is still on course and the financial implications remain. It has been indicated that with a few minor tweaks to the system it is possible that the whole process will be rounded off by the end of this year.

§ Lord Hoyle
My Lords, can my noble friend say how the system will work?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, the system has been developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation around existing transmission arrangements. In a time of tension the system provides, additionally, a back-up transmission of British Telecom and private wires to give resilience and uses remotely controlled switching equipment to connect the warning centre to dedicated transmitters instantaneously. This also gives the ability to use alternate paths to the transmitters in the event of damage to the network following an air attack. The system is based in the main on the BBC transmission of both television and radio, plus the British Telecom back-up in certain areas.

Lord Renton
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that whatever system is decided upon and however penetrating it may be it will not work properly unless people understand it? Therefore, what steps will the Government take to ensure that people do understand it?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord that the system needs to be fully understood. As it is a warning system, it is important that those involved—the nation generally—are forewarned and educated about the likelihood of an attack and how the system will work. It is important that the noble Lord's point is got across as effectively as possible. That is part of the build-up to the scheme. The indications are that once the system is in place there will be a process of education based mainly on television and radio to inform people of exactly what preparations are necessary to tune in to the system and how they should react once the system has been activated.

§ Baroness Knight of Collingtree
My Lords, can the Minister inform the House what kind of attack this message will be about?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, the system will operate on the basis of a national emergency. We are not 681 considering local arrangements, but a national system. In the event of an air attack—it is recognised that we would have knowledge of its likelihood—the whole nation will need to be informed. It is to be hoped that when the system is in operation it will provide that kind of information and warning.

§ Lord Rotherwick
My Lords, if the warning system is activated because of an air attack, what is the population meant to do? What do the Government suggest that people should do?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, the system has been designed to ensure that warning of an attack is given throughout the land. In the event of the system being attacked and becoming unworkable, it would be very difficult for it to operate on the basis presently envisaged. The system is designed with safeguards. If it is partially disabled following an air attack—that is about as much as it can be—the rest of the system will still function on the basis that warnings and post-warnings will be given throughout the nation or to those parts not affected by the attack.

§ Lord Cope of Berkeley
My Lords, it is my understanding that this system was intended not only to warn of the attacks of which the Minister speaks, but also major civil emergencies of one kind or another. Is that still the case?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, the answer to that is a qualified "yes", on the basis that the system is designed to be a national attack warning system. I envisage very few civil scenarios which will require a national warning system. I can think of occasions when, for example, floods may affect particular areas and therefore warnings need to be given. On a national basis in peacetime, I find it very difficult to envisage the need for such a system. In the event of it being necessary to use it on the basis suggested, I believe that this could be achieved by means of the well-rehearsed systems that already exist under parts of the scheme. In answer to the noble Lord's question of whether the system can be used in civil or peacetime circumstances, I find great difficulty in envisaging such circumstances. Having said that, the system exists. If the noble Lord can think of circumstances in which it may be used, I am sure that the system can be applied them.

§ Viscount Bridgeman
My Lords, does the Minister accept the particular urgency to get this system operational given that it is the essential organisation to co-ordinate many different government departments and agencies?

§ Lord Burlison
My Lords, it is hoped that the system is now well on the way. As I indicated previously, a little more work needs to be done in the lead-up to some of the outlying transmitters. It is envisaged that that will be done by the end of the year. We hope that the whole system will be ready then.