HUGHES CHALLENGES MINISTERS ON LONDON TERRORISM PROTECTION FUNDING

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 18th May 2004

Simon tackles Ministers on anti terrorism funding in London

Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate will later today challenge Ministers on the failure to sufficiently fund London emergency services to provide adequate protection to Londoners against a terrorist attack.

Mr Hughes will challenge Cabinet Ministers on the amount of funding the civil contingency grant for the capital to protect Londoners in the event of an attack. Many local authorities believe that funding is not adequate or transparent enough to provide the maximum protection for London.

Mr Hughes has outlined a 10-point plan to prevent an attack and protect Londoners in the event of an attack, including setting up a dedicated London Emergency Volunteer Reserve Force to assist the emergency services in case of an attack.

Mr Hughes said:-

"The war in Iraq increased the risk of terrorism in London even more than before. The threat of terrorism has not, and will not, go away. Warnings from the Met Police show that we cannot afford to be complacent and yet Ministers have failed to resource our emergency services adequately or provide the necessary information to protect Londoners.

"The Met Police have done a magnificent job so far in preventing an attack on London, but it is vital that sensible, simple measures are taken to stay one step ahead of any terrorist plans.

"London must have a coherent and co-ordinated approach to tackling any terrorist atrocity. So far Ministers have failed to give the necessary backing to our services to give the maximum protection to Londoners."

ENDS

Notes to editors

Mr Hughes has question 1 for Question to the Cabinet Office and will be asked at 12.20pm Tuesday 18th May 2004:-

"To ask the Secretary of State for the cabinet Office what the civil contingency grant was for emergency planning was for Greater London a)in total and b) broken down in Borough in each year since 2000"

Mr Hughes 10 point anti terrorism plan in full

1. Appointing a new MI5 trained anti-terrorism specialist to advise the Mayor of London.

2. Met Police training for businesses and their fire marshals setting out what they should do in the event of an attack

3. Setting up a dedicated London Emergency Volunteer Reserve Force to assist the emergency services in case of an attack

4. An annual anti terrorism summit with mayors of other global cities and their police chiefs to share best practice

5. The merging of British Transport Police in London with the Met Police

6. A reassessment of talks on installing mobile phone access on the deep line Tube network

7. Council Tax bills to contain information on what to do in the event of an attack

8. Expand schemes to encourage train and tube staff to become special constables in the newly merged Transport division of the Met Police

9. Staffed police boxes at every mainline station during rush hour

10. Promotion of community events across London by the Mayor to improve cohesion and understanding between different faiths and cultures to reduce suspicion and fear