§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the considerations that led to the decision being taken that the scenarios for the regional civil defence exercises in the United Kingdom should be built around periods of international tension or conventional war.
§ Mr. John PattenRegional civil defence exercises are designed to test local authority plans. The local authorities involved have agreed that it would be sensible for the first series of such exercises to concentrate on the initial phase of a possible war crisis, covering a period of international tension. In due course, consideration will be given to whether these exercises should be extended to include a period of possible hostilities.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the reasons for the renaming of the Civil Defence college at Easingwold.
§ Mr. John PattenI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 5 June at columns514–15.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by region, all the civil defence exercises planned for the remainder of 1989 and for the whole of 1990.
§ Mr. John PattenCivil defence exercises are held by a number of organisations, and a comprehensive list is not maintained centrally. In England and Wales, regional civil defence exercises to be held jointly by local authorities and the Home Office are planned for region 3 (East Midlands) and region 4 (Eastern) in November this year, and for region 2 (North East) in 1990.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those items of exercise-related expenditure eligible for civil defence grant from his Department.
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§ Mr. John PattenAll expenditure incurred by local and police authorities in connection with their participation in civil defence exercises is eligible for grant, provided that the conditions of the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations 1953 (S.I. No. 1953/1777) (as amended) are met.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update the arrangements his Department has made towards competitive tendering for civil defence in(a) wartime emergencies and (b) peacetime emergencies.
§ Mr. John PattenHome Office procurement policy is to place contracts with competent suppliers which represent, as far as possible, the best overall value for money after inviting firms to submit tenders in competition.