Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will identify the terms of reference of work on(a) civil emergencies and (b) home defence planning carried out in his Department, the number of staff involved and the annual budgets for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonMy right hon. and learned Friend is empowered by the Civil Defence Act 1948 to take such steps as he considers necessary for the purposes of civil defence; to make regulations about the civil defence functions of local authorities and to make grants towards expenses incurred in the discharge of those functions. Regulations made under the Act include the Civil Defence (Local Authority Functions) (Scotland) Regulations 1983, which prescribe the functions of local authorities in relation to civil defence. The Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986 enables local authorities to use civil defence resources in responding to a peacetime emergency.
Information on expenditure and manpower is as follows:
1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 Expenditure (£ million) (including grants paid to local authorities and payments to NHS) 5.40 5.40 7.30 Civil service manpower 48 48 43