MP Queries Readiness for National Emergency

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Oct 2002

On the day of the recall of parliament, MP Vincent Cable returned to Westminster from Party conference in Brighton to file parliamentary questions with Ministers designed to probe the extent to which the government has prepared for a national emergency in the event of a war with Iraq:

"One of the main ways in which a war could have an impact on the man and woman in the street is through an explosion in the cost of fuel."

"Although Britain is largely self sufficient in oil, prices are set internationally and there could be a major 'shock' if supplies are disrupted."

"We could quite easily find ourselves back in the same situation which existed in 2000 when the tanks were emptied in 24 hours, unless the government plans carefully in advance."

"This is one aspect of a potential war to which far too few people are paying attention; it could seriously destabilise the economy. My party colleagues and I see it as the job of the opposition to challenge the government and ask probing questions about how far it has thought through the consequences of its policy".