HC Deb 06 May 1954 vol 527 cc28-9W
9. Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) the estimated accommodation now available in deep thermo-nuclear bomb-proof shelters which will be available to the general public in the county borough of Oldham, the urban district of Chadderton and the county palatine of Lancaster, respectively;

(2) what alterations have been made in the specifications of deep thermo-nuclear bomb-proof shelters following the recent explosions.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension if he thinks it possible to provide complete immunity from air attack. Apart from a small number of exceptional cases where natural underground shelter was available, no attempt was made in the last war to provide deep bomb-proof shelters for the public, and no provision for this purpose was contemplated in the guidance which was given to local authorities for planning purposes in 1950.

10. Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the present arrangements for sealing off an area destroyed by thermo-nuclear bombs; and what authority is to be entrusted with the power to make such arrangements, with special reference to industrial Lancashire.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

The arrangements necessary for this purpose would depend on the resources available at the time, and they could not be planned in detail in advance. The co-ordination of these arrangements would be a responsibility of the appropriate Civil Defence Controller or the Regional Commissioner, as the case might be.

11. Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the present instructions issued to the Civil Defence authorities for dealing with survivors of thermo-nuclear bombing who have become radio active.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

It is assumed that the hon. Member is referring to persons who become contaminated with radio-active material. The instructions for cleansing such persons are contained in the Home Office Civil Defence Pamphlet on Atomic Warfare and are in no way changed by the advent of thermonuclear weapons.

15. Sir L. Ropner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Civil Defence plans in view of the latest developments of the hydrogen bomb.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave on 5th April to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Llewellyn), but I hope to be able to make a preliminary statement in about two weeks' time.