§ Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) of 28 February,Official Report, column 586, on studies of possible enhancements to the national public alert system, if he will give (a) the terms of reference of the studies, (b) the personnel carrying out the studies, (c) the expected cost of the studies, (d) the date on which they commenced and (e) the date on which the studies are expected to be completed; and if he will publish the report of the studies.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe requirements of the study now being considered were
337WTo review current receipt and generation arrangements using only peacetime Broadcasting Systems for alerting/warning the public and to produce a proposal for a National Warning System using existing peacetime Broadcasting Networks as a primary system for warning the United Kingdom population of an air attack.The study was carried out by the BBC at a cost of £4,200 and was presented in October last year. It is being examined by officials in the course of their normal duties. The study contains information confidential to the BBC's operations and it would not be appropriate for my Department to publish it. The need for and scope and timing of further studies have not yet been decided.
§ Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) of 28 February,Official Report, column 586, if he will place in the Library a copy of the representations by his officials to the Local Government Commission for England on the subject of emergency planning.
§ Mr. Peter LloydA copy of the letter referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan), column586, has been placed in the Library.