HC Deb 29 July 1988 vol 138 c759W
Mr. Gerald Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effects on the efficiency of emergency planning of the reductions proposed in local authority budgets for 1988–89.

Mr. John Patten

Local authority bids for civil defence grant aid this year were substantially in excess of the planned provision which had been increased to £21.8 million from £19.4 million in 1987–88. Provisional approvals for expenditure have now been allocated taking account of the 1988–89 provision. These matters are the subject of current discussions with local authorities.