Tag: Baroness Goudie

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the potential benefits to the Northern Powerhouse of the Candu Energy option for the reuse of the United Kingdom’s stockpile of plutonium.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is in the process of submitting advice to DECC, which together with other sources of information and evidence, will enable DECC to consider options for the disposition of plutonium. There are a number of options for dispositioning of plutonium that will be considered, including the potential option presented by Candu. A decision will be made by ministers in due course. The Government is confident that its preferred option for plutonium disposition will be implemented safely and securely, and in a way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-10-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Exiting the EU plans to remain within the Cabinet Office premises or to relocate; and if it plans to relocate, whether it will move to its own building, or move, in its entirety or in part, to premises of another government department.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The department is permanently headquartered at 9 Downing Street. This will not change and Ministers will continue to operate from this building. Staff are also accommodated in 70 Whitehall.

We are working with the Government Property Unit as where to locate further staff on a more permanent basis.

DExEU staff will continue to be employed on the basis of being ‘on loan’ from a wide variety of departments and will not permanently transfer departments. No staff have been formally moved from DExEU to the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Cabinet Office, or other government departments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to attracting further Canadian inward investment into the United Kingdom as a result of closer nuclear co-operation.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Canada in June 2015 on closer cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy. Officials are taking forward work to understand respective nuclear frameworks and the scope for inward investment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-10-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to transfer to other government departments any of the staff currently working within the Department for Exiting the EU, and if so, what is their estimate of the proportion of staff who will be moved to (1) the Ministry of Defence, (2) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (3) the Cabinet Office, or (4) other government departments.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The department is permanently headquartered at 9 Downing Street. This will not change and Ministers will continue to operate from this building. Staff are also accommodated in 70 Whitehall.

We are working with the Government Property Unit as where to locate further staff on a more permanent basis.

DExEU staff will continue to be employed on the basis of being ‘on loan’ from a wide variety of departments and will not permanently transfer departments. No staff have been formally moved from DExEU to the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Cabinet Office, or other government departments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the role that Candu Energy can play in the development of United Kingdom infrastructure and in creating new supply-chain jobs in the United Kingdom’s nuclear sector.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is in the process of submitting advice to DECC, which together with other sources of information and evidence, will enable DECC to consider options for the disposition of plutonium. There are a number of options for dispositioning of plutonium that will be considered, including the potential option presented by Candu. A decision will be made by ministers in due course. The Government is confident that its preferred option for plutonium disposition will be implemented safely and securely, and in a way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-10-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many roles within the Department for Exiting the EU are currently unfilled; and how many job applications have been received for those roles.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 250 staff and the expertise of 120 officials in Brussels, and is continuing to grow.

We are not in a position to give a total number of job applications as recruitment is ongoing and we will not be giving a running commentary. Our aim is to have a streamlined Department, while ensuring the right skills and experience to get the best outcome for the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2015-11-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the economic development of the north of England under Candu Energy’s plans for the reuse of the United Kingdom’s plutonium stockpile and closure of nuclear sites.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is in the process of submitting advice to DECC, which together with other sources of information and evidence, will enable DECC to consider options for the disposition of plutonium. There are a number of options for dispositioning of plutonium that will be considered, including the potential option presented by Candu. A decision will be made by ministers in due course. The Government is confident that its preferred option for plutonium disposition will be implemented safely and securely, and in a way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217 have received any form of training from the UK.

Earl Howe

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Penny Mordaunt MP), on 14 January 2016 to Question 21564, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do however provide educational training, as well as English Language Training. We have no information to indicate that participants on these educational courses were Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-03-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), whether they retain details of the names and battalions, or other units, of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK.

Earl Howe

We retain details of the names and current units of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK. However, we do not hold any information on which units these individuals may have served in previously.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-03-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of training provided by the UK to Burmese Army soldiers.

Earl Howe

I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.

I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.