HC Deb 20 December 1984 vol 70 cc283-5W
19. Mr. Bevan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to amend the Civil Defence Regulations 1983 to require local authorities to make further efforts to recruit and organise civil defence volunteers.

Mr. Giles Shaw

No. My right hon. and learned Friend considers the present requirement in the 1983 regulations for local authorities to recruit, train, and exercise volunteers is sufficient.

20. Mr. Martin Stevens

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lives he estimates could be saved by a limited civil defence evacuation policy.

60. Mr. Neil Thorne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered the effect of a limited civil defence evacuation policy on casualty levels.

Mr. Giles Shaw

No dependable detailed estimates can be made. The number would vary substantially according, for example, to the ambitiousness of the scheme; how successful in the event planners proved to be at predicting targets; the number, size and long as well as short-term effects of the weapons used; and the nature of the reception arrangements for evacuees.

22. Mr. Alan Howarth

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to plan for limited evacuation of the civil population from high-risk areas in wartime.

26. Mr. Maginnis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to plan for limited evacuation of the civilian population from high-risk areas in wartime.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which my right hon. and learned Friend gave earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Derby, North (Mr. Knight) and Dulwich (Mr. Bowden).

30. Mr. Home Robertson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review his Department's civil defence policy in the light of recent evidence concerning the possible climatic effects of nuclear explosions.

37. Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government intend to publish their investigations into the nuclear winter findings.

42. Mr. McKelvey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to publish the findings of the Government's investigations into the possibilities of nuclear winter and its effects following a nuclear exchange.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The evidence referred to concerns an unvalidated hypothesis known as the "nuclear winter" which is still the subject of research in the United States and elsewhere. This work is being monitored closely by the Government. We will review policy as appropriate when the findings are known.

44. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to implement the recommendations made to him by Sir Leslie Mayor regarding the role of local authorities on the organising of civil defence volunteers.

Mr. Giles Shaw

Sir Leslie Mayor's recommendations on organisation form the basis for the guidance to local authorities in Home Office circular No. ES 2/1981 and the draft consolidated circular, both of which are in the Library of the House.

47. Mr. Clay

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the basis for the Government's assessment that the most likely threat of attack is from conventional strikes as stated in his Department's circular ES1/1984 on planning assumptions.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The basis is the present NATO assessments as to the likely course of any future war in Europe.

56. Dr. Blackburn

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will support a standard recommended organisation for local authority civil defence volunteers.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to questions from my hon. Friends the Members for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) and for Windsor and Maidenhead (Dr. Glyn).

58. Mr. Aspinwall

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance the principal of the Civil Defence college, Easingwold, will receive in carrying out his parallel role of co-ordinator of voluntary effort in civil defence.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The co-ordinator will have available the resources of the Civil Defence college and the support of the recently appointed Civil Defence Adviser. He will also be assisted by the recommendations of the working party on the standardisation of volunteer training, on which local authorities are represented.

59. Mr. Cash

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he consults the Society of Industrial Emergency Services Officers on measures to improve the civil defence capability of industry.

Mr. Giles Shaw

No. Ensuring that the civil defence capability of industry is improved is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary addressed the annual general meeting of the Society on 28 November 1984, when he was able to reaffirm the Government's commitment to improving the state of civil defence preparedness in all areas of our national life.