§ Mr. Neil Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of his civil defence adviser, Mr. Eric Alley.
§ Mr. HurdI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) on 4 December,178W at columns 246–47. Mr. Alley discharges his main responsibility relating to the civil defence functions of local authorities by advising my right hon. Friend on the implementation of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 as a result of visiting local authorities to monitor their progress, and discuss and offer guidance to them on their difficulties; preparing assessments of the level of local authority preparedness; and identifying measures on how best to help local authorities with, and ensure their implementation of, the regulations.