§ 33. Mr. HeathTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of(a) the Army and (b) the Royal Navy in assisting with UK civil emergencies. [76727]
§ Mr. IngramAll three armed forces provide support to the civil authorities during civil emergencies under well understood, long-standing arrangements. These fall into three broad categories: military aid to the civil community, which is provided at times of life-threatening emergency; military aid to other Government Departments, which is provided when essential services cannot be maintained in any other way, and military aid to the civil power which is the provision of specialist support to the police and other law enforcement agencies.