§ Mr. Neil Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department is carrying out into nuclear, biological and chemical protection of the civilian population; and what priority such research has.
§ Mr. Giles ShawWe are continually engaged in a programme of research into protective measures against the effect of modern weapons as determined by the Government's assumptions about the nature of the threat. These are contained in Home Office circular No. ES 1/1984 (a copy of which is in the Library of the House). The work is given a high priority.
§ Mr. Neil Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he gives advice to local authorities on how to protect their civil defence radio networks against the effects of nuclear electro-magnetic pulse.
§ Mr. Giles ShawYes, and consideration is being given to how this guidance might be extended. I will Keep the House informed of progress.
§ Mr. Neil Thorneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the working party on local authority communications is making; and when he hopes to have the final report.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe working party on civil defence communications is considering its final report which it hopes to make later this year.
§ Mr. Leighasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assumption was made for the report on standardisation of training of civil defence volunteers on the numbers that would need to be trained.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe working party made no assumption on numbers.