§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations and proposals he has received from local authorities for improving and expanding civil defence provision; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdRepresentations from local authorities for improving civil defence provision usually take the form of applications for payment of civil defence grant towards expenditure on emergency planning staff or emergency headquarters.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of implementation of the new civil defence regulations.
§ Mr. BrittanThe draft regulations were due to come into operation on 1 July. As there was no opportunity to debate them before that date, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I will withdraw the present drafts. New draft regulations, unchanged in substance, will be laid shortly.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether audited claims for grant for the purposes of civil defence have yet been received from the London boroughs and the metropolitan districts; if he will list the amount paid by his Department to each authority; and whether he has received any further estimates for local authority expenditure on civil defence measures.
§ Mr. HurdAudited claims have not yet been received from London boroughs and the metropolitan districts for the year 1982–83. As a result, no civil defence grant has been paid to them for that year. Both preliminary estimates and revised estimates are received from each authority every year, and preliminary estimates have been received for 1983–84.