§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Anglo-French maritime emergency plan, "Mancheplan", envisages co-operation in all types of emergency in the Channel, including the release into or onto the sea of liquefied gases, chemicals in bulk or parcel form, radio-active materials, nuclear-powered propulsion units, etc., and whether a "Manchex" exercise involving any of these is proposed either for 1981 or later.
§ Lord TrefgarneMancheplan determines the principles and procedures covering Anglo-French co-operation in the Channel sea area for both search and rescue operations and actions to deal with any kind of pollution from ships. At a joint meeting on 21st November 1980, French Government officials and officials of the Department of Trade established a joint planning team for the 1981 exercise of Mancheplan/Manchex 81. Until the team has met to consider proposals for the exercise, it would be premature for me to comment on the scenario envisaged for 1981, or indeed for later years.