Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in theOfficial Report the names of local authorities that do not currently meet guidelines laid down in his Department's circulars for emergency control centres.
§ Mr. John PattenI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from him on 18 December 1989 at columns18–19.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has a target date for all local authorities to comply with his Department's emergency plans, including the provision of emergency control centres.
§ Mr. John PattenNo. The requirements for local authorities to make plans and to establish emergency control centres for civil defence purposes are contained in the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations which came into force in 1983. Progress in meeting these statutory requirements is monitored through the Government's planned programme for implementation of the regulations. As part of this monitoring scheme, targets for related activities are agreed annually with individual local authorities, taking into account the state of their preparedness at the time; priorities which are set on a national basis after consultation with the local authority associations; and the financial provision made centrally for grant in support of the civil defence functions. A report on progress up to October 1988 was published in January 1989 and a copy is in the Library. Advances on the position shown in that report are now being considered in the light of more recent information provided by local authorities.