Part 1Local Arrangements for Civil Protection

Introductory

1Meaning of “emergency”

1

In this Part “emergency” means—

a

an event or situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare in a place in the United Kingdom,

b

an event or situation which threatens serious damage to the environment of a place in the United Kingdom, or

c

war, or terrorism, which threatens serious damage to the security of the United Kingdom.

2

For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) an event or situation threatens damage to human welfare only if it involves, causes or may cause—

a

loss of human life,

b

human illness or injury,

c

homelessness,

d

damage to property,

e

disruption of a supply of money, food, water, energy or fuel,

f

disruption of a system of communication,

g

disruption of facilities for transport, or

h

disruption of services relating to health.

3

For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) an event or situation threatens damage to the environment only if it involves, causes or may cause—

a

contamination of land, water or air with biological, chemical or radio-active matter, or

b

disruption or destruction of plant life or animal life.

4

A Minister of the Crown, or, in relation to Scotland, the Scottish Ministers, may by order—

a

provide that a specified event or situation, or class of event or situation, is to be treated as falling, or as not falling, within any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1);

b

amend subsection (2) so as to provide that in so far as an event or situation involves or causes disruption of a specified supply, system, facility or service—

i

it is to be treated as threatening damage to human welfare, or

ii

it is no longer to be treated as threatening damage to human welfare.

5

The event or situation mentioned in subsection (1) may occur or be inside or outside the United Kingdom.