asked the Minister for Defence the strength of the Civil Defence at 31 December 1959 and 31 December 1981; the number of enlistments in 1959, 1969, and 1981; the total expenditure on Civil Defence in 1959, 1969 and 1981 both in money terms and as a percentage of the Defence Vote; whether new design uniforms for Civil Defence personnel will be available by December 1982; and the number of personnel who underwent full-time training at civil defence headquarters in 1959, 1969 and 1981.
Written Answers. - Civil Defence Strength.
538.
The number of volunteers on the Civil Defence rolls of local authorities as at 31 October 1959 (the date nearest to 31 December 1959 for which figures are available) and 31 December 1981 were 4,858 and 38,156 respectively. Of the latter figure about 21,000 are active members. The same rolls show the number of enlistments in 1959, 1969 and 1981 as 1,043, 1,205 and 2,874 respectively.
The expenditure under the Civil Defence Subhead of the Vote for Defence for the years in question was: 1959/60 — £63,599 (0.96% of total net expenditure under Vote as a whole); 1969/70 — £122,846 (0.85% of total net expenditure under Vote as a whole); 1981 — £967,915 (0.57% of total net expenditure under Vote as a whole). (For the years 1959 and 1969 the annual accounting period ran from 1 April to 31 March).
The comparison has been confined to the Civil Defence Subhead expenditure of the Defence Vote as it would be virtually impossible to segregate over a 23-year span particulars of certain other expenditure on Civil Defence such as the contributions of local authorities.
The question of introducing a new style of uniform for the Civil Defence volunteers on a phased basis is being pursued but at this stage it is not possible to indicate a date by which the new version will have been introduced.
Particulars of Civil Defence personnel who underwent full-time Civil Defence School courses are as follows: 1959 — no figures available; 1969 — 235 during the period 1 April 1969-31 March 1970; 1981 — 618 during the period 1 April 1980-31 March 1981.