HC Deb 30 November 1987 vol 123 cc395-6W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply,Official Report, 13 November, column 336, whether his Department has any plans to practice in peacetime the national warning procedures for ballistic missile attack.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation of the Home Office regularly practices the procedures for issuing a national warning of ballistic missile attack.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply,Official Report, 13 November, column 336, to what proportion of the United Kingdom population the sirens intended to warn of impending nuclear attack are intended to be audible.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

It is estimated that some 90 per cent, of the population should be capable of being warned of an impending air attack by sirens and the whole population by radio broadcasts.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply,Official Report, 13 November, column 336, whether the advice on protective measures in the event of a ballistic missile attack is currently available to the public upon request; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

In 1985 we published emergency planning guidance to local authorities, which provides detailed planning advice on wartime and other emergencies; this was followed in 1986 by "Civil Protection" (a booklet and video) giving a more basic introduction to the subject—both of these are available to the public and copies are in the Library. Arrangements for issuing more direct guidance to the public are kept under review: the nature and timing of such guidance would depend on the nature of the threat evident at the time.