§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is any concept of a state of emergency (other than to do with interference consequent upon strikes) in United Kingdom law, as suggested by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in Chapter 17 of its proposed Bill of Rights. [HL1097]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)The Emergency Powers Act 1920, as amended in 1964, provides that a proclamation of emergency may be made by the Monarch when
there have occurred, or are about to occur, events of such a nature as to be calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, or light, or with the means of locomotion, to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community, of the essentials of life".