'Terror cordon' plan for UK cities

Armed police could enforce a cordon

New laws allowing police to enforce "emergency cordons" in major British cities in the event of a terrorist attack are being considered by ministers.

The Cabinet Office refused to say whether they would be a response to a threat from biological or chemical weapons.

But a spokesman confirmed the plans were being looked at as part of new civil contingencies legislation.

It is likely that any such measures would be overseen by the police rather than the army.

Military units

The new laws would allow police to stop the spread of infection by throwing "health cordons" around areas hit by biological or chemical attacks, according to the Sunday Times newspaper.

There will certainly be some panic with people jumping into their cars with their families to try to flee the city

Professor Michael Langman

It said that people would be prevented from escaping from the affected area.

Specially trained armed police and military units would be sent in to enforce the cordons and control any outbreak of disorder including looting.

The Ministry of Defence told the newspaper that a new civil contingency reaction force would have the option of using live ammunition.

The 7,000-strong force is to be deployed to 14 regions next year.

'Legal issues'

The new laws are expected to form part of a new "civil contingencies" bill to be published shortly.

The Cabinet Office told the Sunday Times that changes in the law were needed to cope with the threat posed by modern terrorists.

"There are legal issues around the setting up of health cordons and keeping people in and out of them," a spokesman said.

"The law may need to be tightened in this area and that is what is being looked at."

Current anti-terrorist laws allow the use of force to evacuate buildings, but not to enforce a cordon indefinitely.

'Some panic'

According to Professor Michael Langman of the joint vaccination and immunisation committee, there are concerns that people could flee cities which had suffered a chemical or biological attack.

He said: "There will certainly be some panic with people jumping into their cars with their families to try to flee the city and avoid contamination, but they would have to be stopped."

The government is currently stockpiling 60 million doses of smallpox vaccine - enough for the whole of the UK's population.

And a draft bill being put before Parliament next year will force councils to put together emergency plans on how to cope with biological, nuclear and chemical attacks.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said the plans would provide "a structure for civil defence for the 21st century", updating legislation from 1948 and 1986 that reflected Cold War threats.