HC Deb 06 June 1985 vol 80 cc206-7W
19. Mr. Kirkwood

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the distinction between the establishment of a civil defence capacity to deal with civil disasters as opposed to wartime emergencies.

Mr. Mellor

Without derogating from the priority that must be given to implementing the 1983 Civil Defence Regulations, we believe that our commitment of extending the Civil Defence Act 1948 to allow civil defence resources to be used for peacetime emergencies is both appropriate and further indication of the humanitarian nature of civil defence.