Emergency Planning (Hansard, 4 March 1998)

§ Mr. Robert Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice has been received by Ministers on the future role and funding of emergency planning on the basis of the recent consultation exercise; and for what reasons Home Office officials have declined to provide this advice to interested organisations. [32430]
630W

§ Mr. George Howarth
A working document entitled "The future role and funding of local civil protection in England and Wales" was issued in November 1997 for discussion in the context of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The CSR is reviewing all aspects of public expenditure, with a view to ensuring that taxpayers' money is being spent effectively in order to fulfil the Government's manifesto commitments.
It is not current practice to publish the advice given by officials to Ministers.

§ Mr. Robert Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the statistics of the replies to the survey questionnaire on emergency planning by categories of council. [32431]

§ Mr. George Howarth
A working document entitled "The future role and funding of local civil protection in England and Wales" was issued in November 1997 for discussion in the context of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). The CSR is reviewing all aspects of public expenditure, with a view to ensuring that taxpayers' money is being spent effectively in order to fulfil the Government's manifesto commitments.
The document was sent to all the major stakeholders, including local authority Chief Executives, local authority Emergency Planning Departments, the Local Government Association, the Emergency Planning Society, the emergency services and voluntary organisations. Recipients of the working document were not asked to identify themselves when returning the questionnaire and it is therefore not possible to publish the statistics of the replies by categories of council.

§ Mr. Robert Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation process on emergency planning took place at the Home Office Emergency Planning College in Easingwold, near York, on 15 and 16 January 1998; and what was the agreed basis for a review of the future of emergency planning. [32429]

§ Mr. George Howarth
As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review across central government, the Fire and Emergency Planning Directorate of the Home Office have issued a number of Working Documents for consultation. One of these is on the future role and funding of local civil protection in England and Wales. The Workshop which took place at the Emergency Planning College on 15 and 16 January was part of this consultation process. All the major stakeholders, including the Local Government Association, the Emergency Planning Society, the emergency services and the voluntary organisations were invited to send representatives.