HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 cc436-7W
Mr. Lansley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 the Government have authorised military aid to the Civil Power in relation to the mainland of Great Britain; and by what means in each case Parliament was so informed; [98687]

(2) when he most recently signed an order authorising military aid to the Civil Power; [98689]

(3) what steps he is required to take to inform Parliament that the Government has authorised military aid to the Civil Power; [98688]

(4) whether he has authorised military aid to the Civil Power in relation to combating current terrorist threats to the United Kingdom. [98690]

Mr. Ingram

In common with all armed forces deployments, the provision of Military Aid to the Civil Power (MACP) is authorised by a Minister within the Ministry of Defence, following a request from the police. The legal basis for this is the common law duty of every citizen to provide reasonable support to the police should they request it. The primacy of the police is recognised at all times. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has, of course, overall responsibility for the police and for security in the United Kingdom. There is consequently close and continuous consultation between the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office concerning the provision of this support.

Support is, for the most part, routine and is linked to active police investigations and operations. By far the largest single category concerns explosive devices. Excluding Northern Ireland, there were 957 occasions in 2001 when experts from the armed forces were asked by the police to provide support in the investigation of improvised explosive devices, and 431 occasions in 2002. The provision of other support, the nature of which varies considerably, is authorised on a case by case basis. On average between 30 and 40 of these requests are authorised each year, a small proportion of which are related to the terrorist threat.

There is no specific requirement to inform Parliament on each occasion support is authorised, and in view of the sensitivity of many police operations, it would be wrong to make public all the details of the support being provided.