§ Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Northumbria and Durham police forces are represented on the north eastern regional emergency committee; if he will list the names and ranks of personnel involved; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveYes. The committee meets infrequently and the representatives will vary from time to time.
§ Mr. Boyesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the powers of the north east regional 36W emergency committee; if he will list the names and function of the members of the committee; and under what circumstances the committee would assume these powers.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe committee is chaired by the regional director of the Departments of the Environment and Transport with representatives from a number of Government Departments such as Environment; Transport; Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Employment; Trade and Industry; Energy; Health and Social Security and the Central Office of Information. The committee also has a military and police representative appointed by the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office respectively.
Regional emergency committees would normally be activated only in an emergency which threatened seriously to disrupt the supply and distribution of essential supplies in the regions. The main purpose of the committees would be to co-ordinate, under central government direction, arrangements for maintainng essential supplies and services, and to act as a channel of communication with authorities and organisations concerned.