HC Deb 02 April 1953 vol 513 cc172-3W
48. Mr. S. O. Davies

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report in detail on the results of the tactical exercise held by the Civil Defence authorities of 10 London boroughs on 19th and 20th March on the assumption that an atom bomb had been exploded at 700 feet over Dalston and had killed 17,500 persons, seriously injured 5,400 and rendered homeless 258,000.

Sir H. Lucas-Tooth

This was one of a series of exercises which are being held this year. A report on it will be circulated in due course to the various authorities and organisations whose representatives attended it. For the present, I can only say that these exercises are of great value for the purposes of training and planning and that they confirm our view that much can be done by efficient civil defence arrangements to mitigate the effects of atomic warfare.