§ Mr. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what occasions and for how long members of the Armed Forces have been used inside the United Kingdom under the Emergency Powers Act 1920; and what were the numbers deployed on each occasion;
(2) on what occasions and for how long members of the Armed Forces have been used inside the United Kingdom under Emergency Powers Act 1964; and what were the numbers deployed on each occasion;
(3) on what other occasions and for how long members of the Armed Forces have been used inside the United Kingdom in instances not covered by the Emergency Powers Acts 1920 and 1964; and what were the numbers deployed on each occasion;
(4) on what occasions and for how long members of the Armed Forces have been placed on standby for use inside the United Kingdom; and what were the numbers involved in each instance.
§ Mr. BlakerI assume that the hon. Member has in mind the use of the Armed Forces in support of the civil authorities in the United Kingdom; either under the various Emergency Powers Acts and defence regulations or outside them. From the records readily available, Service personnel have been used under the Emergency Powers Act to maintain supplies and services essential to the life of the community on the following occasions:
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Occasion Date Relevant EPA(*) Coalminers' Strike 1921 EPA 1920 General Strike and Coalminers' Strike 1926 EPA 1920
Occasion Date Relevant EPA(*) Dock Strike 1946 DR 1939 Coal Transport Crisis 1947 DR 1939 Haulage Drivers' Strike 1947 DR 1939 Dock Strike 1948 DR 1939 Dock Strike 1948 EPA 1920 Porters' Strike 1948 DR 1939 Dock Strike 1949 DR 1939 Dock Strike 1949 EPA 1920 Power Station Strike 1949 DR 1939 Dock Strike 1950 DR 1939 Porters' Strike 1950 DR 1939 Gas Industry Strike 1950 DR 1939 Oil Distributors' Strike 1953 DR 1939 Seamen's Strike 1960 DR 1939 Seamen's Strike 1966 EPA 1920 Dock Strike 1970 EPA 1920 Local Council Refuse Workers' Strike 1970 EPA 1964 Dock Strike 1972 EPA 1920 Firemen's Strike 1973 EPA 1964 Ulster Workers Council Strike 1974 EPA 1926 Local Council Refuse Workers' Strike 1975 EPA 1964 Firemen's Strike 1977–78 EPA 1964 Oil Tanker Drivers' Strike (Northern Ireland) 1979 EPA 1926 Ambulancemen's Strike 1979 EPA 1964 Prison Officers' Dispute 1981 EPA 1964 Ambulancemen's Strike 1981 EPA 1964 (*) EPA 1920 Emergency Powers Act 1920. EPA 1926 Emergency Powers (Northern Ireland) Act 1926. DR 1939 Defence (Armed Forces) Regulations 1939 under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939. EPA 1964 Emergency Powers Act 1964. Information on the numbers deployed on each occasion and for how long, and for the numbers placed on standby, is not readily available, apart from the figures contained in the Statement on the Defence Estimates for 1981—Cmnd. 8212-II—table 7.3. Military assistance to the civil authorities can also include aid to the civil police—for example in Northern Ireland since 1969, during the Princes' Gate seige in May 1980 and bomb disposal teams—on various occasions. Assistance is also given to the civil community under the MACC scheme—for example, help during emergencies, and a wide variety of other tasks.