§ 18. Sir Kenneth Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the costings of a 40-year civil defence shelter programme.
§ Mr. Giles ShawNo detailed study has been made. The cost would vary according to the protection provided and whether the programme depended on adaption of existing buildings or purpose-built structures.
§ 21. Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the change in his Department's planning assumptions for civil defence.
§ 64. Mr. Frank Cookasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the change in his Department's planning assumptions for civil defence.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe planning assumptions issued in Home Office circular No. ES.1/1984 in July expand on but do not change those issued in circulars ES.1/1981 and 2/1981. The new circular gives more details about the dangers of a conventional attack upon the United Kingdom, and further information on the effects of a nuclear attack.
§ 22. Sir Edward Gardnerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the Civil Defence Act 1948.
§ Mr. Giles ShawIt remains this Government's intention, as we undertook in our 1983 manifesto, to seek an opportunity to amend the Civil Defence Act 1984 to enable civil defence funds to be used in safeguarding against peacetime emergencies as well as against hostile attack. It follows that we would support any private Member who introduced such a measure.
§ 28. Sir Anthony Kershawasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities include limited evacuation for the civil population living close to military targets in their civil defence plans.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThis information is not readily available.
§ 35. Mr. Speedasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to present the results of the local authority civil defence questionnaire in published form to the House.
§ 58. Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to announce the results of the civil defence questionnaire sent to local authorities.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI would refer my hon. Friends to the reply given earlier today to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey).
36. Mr. RobertBanks asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many volunteers have been recruited and have received training since the passage of the Civil Defence Regulations 1983.
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§ Mr. Giles ShawThe information sought has not so far been systematically collected. However, a recent informed estimate put the total number of volunteers recruited and trained as over 17,000.
§ 37. Mr. Aspinwallasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has consulted any universities in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries involved in civil defence research projects.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWith the agreement of the United States Government, the University of New Mexico has been consulted on its experience of high explosives trials simulating the blast effects of nuclear explosions.
§ 49. Mr. Neil Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what films, audio-visual programmes and publications are available from Government sources for training community civil defence volunteers in chemical warfare defence and protective measures.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWhilst the Government believe that the best way of dealing with this threat is to obtain a comprehensive international ban on such weapons, they are examining ways of detecting and monitoring the presence of chemical agents and of warning the population who may be in danger. They are also considering what protective measures can be taken and what advice given to the population on precautions that can be taken in the home. Training material will be considered when this work is complete.
§ 59. Mr. Spellerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in initiating light rescue training for civil defence volunteers.
§ Mr. Giles ShawUnder the 1983 regulations, local authorities are required to plan for a wartime rescue service which could inter alia involve civil defence volunteers. Information about local authority progress is not collected centrally, but it is intended that development of detailed guidance on training will be included in the tasks of the Home Office working party on standardisation of volunteer training.
§ 61. Dr. Michael Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will examine the results of the simulated nuclear explosions research carried out in the United States of America with a view to establishing whether his Department's blast and casulaty figures will require major changes.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThese results have indeed been used in the revision of the blast and radiation casualty notes which we expect to publish early next year.
§ Mr. Greg Knightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party looking at the training of civil defence volunteers; and whether he will make their recommendations available to the House.
§ Mr. Giles ShawMy right hon. and learned Friend has received the report of the working party on the standardisation of training of civil defence volunteers and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. It recommends a standard pattern and syllabus of training, and the production of standardised instructional material by the Home Office. We welcome this. We are arranging246W for the report to be sent to the local authority associations for their information and comments, and subsequently to local authorities for their guidance.