Rayleigh Tory MP Mark Francois has called on the Government to introduce new legislation to improve the country's readiness against a terrorist attack.
Speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on defence, he welcomed the enhanced role of the Territorial Army in home defence but argued current preparations for dealing with terrorist attacks are still inadequate and more needs to be done to strengthen the country's emergency planning legislation.
Mr Francois, who was a Territorial Army officer told the House that during his service he specialised partly in what was now described as chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological warfare.
He said: "If we were subjected to any kind of attack with such weapons, particularly if it were a concerted assault rather than a one off, the consequences would be truly awful.
"The regular Army is simply too small to provide such protection on its own. I believe that a retrained and revamped Territorial Army could fill the gap by providing units specifically trained to deal with homeland security and chemical and biological first aid."
Published Thursday November 7, 2002
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