HC Deb 26 March 1980 vol 981 cc570-1W
Mr. Pawsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that county emergency planning officers have sufficient knowledge about the distribution and use of radiac instruments in time of war.

Mr. Brittan

Yes.

Mr. Pawsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby, Official Report, 14 March, what standards he uses to judge the progress made by local authorities in their planning for the provision of civil defence.

Mr. Brittan

Those in the Civil Defence (Planning) Regulations 1974; and there is informal contact between my officials and local authority staffs with emergency planning responsibilities.

Mr. Pawsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Rugby on 18 March, what level of provision of survey meters and dosimeters he regards as sufficient for essential radiological monitoring purposes.

Mr. Brittan

Various factors determine operational requirements: numbers of survey metres needed to ascertain the fallout picture are based on land area; survey meters and dosimeters for use by those performing essential tasks, on population. County councils have been informed of their provisional allocations.