§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the handbooks issued to local authority chief executives and police authorities for guidance in the event of a nuclear war.
§ Mr. BrittanThe booklet "Protect and Survive" is to be updated and revised in some respects. Once this has been done, we propose to publish the booklet by placing it on sale at about the time we announce the outcome of our present review of home defence arrangements.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether underground bunkers for regional seats of government are still maintained; and, if so, what is the annual cost.
§ Mr. BrittanNo.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current annual expenditure on civil defence, the proposed expenditure for 1980–81, and the proportion of the population that would be protected in underground shelters in the event of a nuclear war.
§ Mr. BrittanAs my right hon. Friend said in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 29 November—[Vol. 974, cc.723–4.]—the estimated outturn for 1979–80 is £32.9 million, including £13 million to replenish the strategic reserve of food, and the present estimated expenditure for 1980–81 is £22.9 million. In the event of nuclear war, the aim is that everyone should be under shelter, but not necessarily underground.