HC Deb 24 May 2004 vol 421 cc1411-2W
Michael Fabricant

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he is taking to inform the general public of the precautions they must take to avoid contamination by a dirty bomb explosion; and if he will make a statement; [173710]

(2) what system is in place to alert the general public that a dirty bomb has exploded in an area in which they may become contaminated; and if he will make a statement. [173711]

Mr. Blunkett

In the event of an attack, unless people are under the direction of the emergency services, they should go indoors and tune into the TV or radio for further instructions. The media is the main system through which the Government and the emergency services will alert the public. The message is 'go in, stay in, tune in'.

As part of a deliberate strategy over the last 18 months, I have made sure that we have increased the information available to the public on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Government will continue to do this and we are regularly reviewing the best way to keep the public informed.

The main sources of advice for the general public and our partners are the Home Office, the MI5 and the UK Resilience websites, www.homeoffice.gov.uk/terrorism/, www.ukresilience.info/ and www.mi5.gov.uk/.