Exclusion zones plan for terror attacks

Regulations for setting up "health cordons" to quarantine large parts of London or other major cities in the event of biological attack are being considered as part of new anti-terror law.

A Cabinet Office spokes-woman confirmed last night that the Government was considering such legislation as part of a civil contingencies Bill, to be published shortly.

According to reports last night, cordons would be used to prevent people panicking and leaving cities in the event of an anthrax or smallpox attack. If they left those attack areas, it is feared they would spread the killer infections elsewhere.

"We are considering those sort of powers to set up cordons," the Cabinet Office spokeswoman said last night. "It would possibly be part of the Bill."

It was claimed that the new laws would allow armed police and troops to be positioned at train stations and road junctions to stop panic evacuations and looting in the event of a biological attack.

The Sunday Times quoted a "government official" as saying: "If there is an attack, we will contain and isolate the victims, then vaccinate and evacuate the community in a ring around the outbreak to create a fire wall".

A civil contingency reaction force, to be made up of voluntary reservists, some 7,000 strong, which could be armed, would also be involved in quelling unrest and setting up the cordons. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said last night that a July proposal to set up the force was still in its early stages.

A Home Office spokeswoman said the civil contingencies Bill was to be "updated" because the current legislation was based on Cold War situations.