Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons a review of the scope of Project Pegasus is being undertaken at the Atomic Weapons Establishment; and what changes he expects to be made to the scope of the project as a result of the review.

Mr Philip Dunne

Pegasus is the replacement highly enriched uranium component manufacturing and storage facility, and forms part of the Government’s programme of investment in the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites.

In accordance with normal industry best practice, the project is under regular review to ensure that the facility will meet the Ministry of Defence’s requirements while also achieving the optimum balance of performance, cost and schedule. No changes to the approved scope of the project have been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will make an assessment of the British Medical Journal editorial Public Health England’s draft report on shale gas extraction: Mistaking best practices for actual practices published on 17 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

I have been asked to reply.

Public Health England (PHE) has considered the British Medical Journal (BMJ) editorial on Public Health England’s draft report on shale gas extraction: Mistaking best practices for actual practices, published on 17 April 2014. PHE’s response to the article was published on-line on 30 April 2014 and can be found here:

www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2728?tab=responses

PHE’s response to the BMJ article states that the conclusion of the report that risks from the process of shale gas extraction will be low if operations are properly run and regulated was a considered judgement. PHE has identified those aspects of operations that are considered to pose the greatest risks. PHE has made a number of recommendations for the control of risks, as have others. If shale gas extraction does take place, PHE will work with regulators to help ensure that environmental monitoring and health surveillance programmes are implemented appropriately. PHE agrees with Kovats et al (Lancet 383, 757-8; 2014) on the potential for Health Impact Assessments (HIA) to play a role in informing policy and local planning processes, considering all issues associated with shale gas extraction which may affect health, including Green House Gas emissions and climate change. PHE will seek to support HIAs and will continue to evaluate evidence on health risks associated with shale gas extraction and related technologies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to improve support and protection for women human rights defenders in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson

The UK takes this issue very seriously. Our primary approach to supporting human rights defenders is to work with and through multilateral institutions such as the EU and the UN to support national efforts. These bodies have the expertise and resources to fulfil this important role in country. The UK played a significant part in the EU’s recent decision to increase support to human rights defenders in Afghanistan, including plans to refresh the 2010 EU Strategy on Human Rights Defenders. The UK will work with the EU and other Member States to ensure that the refreshed strategy recognises the specific challenges that women human rights defenders face. We are also working to ensure that human rights, including the protection of human rights defenders, are a top priority for the EU’s proposed post-2014 country strategy for Afghanistan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for reviewing the conduct of and representation on Local Liaison Committees for defence nuclear sites.

Mr Philip Dunne

There are no plans for the Ministry of Defence to review the conduct of, nor representation at, Local Liaison Committees relating to Defence nuclear sites. The operation of such committees is a matter for agreement between the individual site operator (the Licensee and/or Authorisee) and the appropriate local authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will discuss the potential health risks of fracking with (a) medical professionals and (b) the Secretary of State for Health; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon

Public Health England has carried out a review into the potential health risks from chemical and radiological pollutants from shale gas extraction processes. This review, published in October 2013, took account of available information published up to 2012. It is being updated to take account of new information.

The review was conducted in response to requests to provide specialist advice to those responsible for public health protection, including local authorities and regulators. The review concluded that the risks to public health from exposure to emissions from shale gas extraction are low if operations are properly run and regulated. In the UK, shale gas developers and operators will be required, through the planning and environmental permitting processes, to satisfy the relevant regulators that their proposals and operations will minimise the potential for pollution and risks to public health.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the issue of rape and sexual violence by the Burmese Army was raised with the Burmese colonel who received training in the UK from 10 March to April 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context course, delivered in the UK by the Defence Academy, was attended by participants from over 20 countries; one of these was a colonel from the Burmese military. The course is designed for countries making the difficult transition to democracy in a variety of contexts. Specific issues of concern relating to individual countries are therefore not raised during the course.

I, however, raised the issue of rape and sexual violence with the Burmese Army’s Commander-in-Chief and northern Commander during my visit to Burma in January.

I welcome Burma’s endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict on 5 June; we stand ready to provide any support necessary to assist implementation of the declaration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 22 November 2011, Official Report, column 272W, on AWE, what his most recent estimate is of the (a) anticipated out-turn cost and (b) projected in-service date of each of the new build projects in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Site Development Context Plan.

Mr Philip Dunne

The tables show the current new build projects, with approved costs and in-service dates, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Projected in-service dates are shown in bandings to avoid prejudice to national security and defence. No costs are attributed to projects detailed in table 2 as these have yet to be approved.

Table 1 – current new build projects that have been through the Ministry of Defence approval process

Ongoing projects	Function	Projected In-Service Period	Approved cost £million
Conventional Manufacturing – Phoenix	Manufacturing/production	2014-15	57
Hydrodynamics trials-Technology Development Centre	Testing/research	2014-15	40
High Explosives fabrication – Circinus	Manufacturing/Production	2014-15	231
Warhead assembly/disassembly – Mensa	Manufacturing/production	2016-20	734
Uranium components – Pegasus	Manufacturing/production	2016-20	634

Table 2 – projects currently planned for but which have yet to go through the formal Ministry of Defence approvals process

Ongoing projects	Function	Projected In-Service Period
Salts Processing – Octans	Testing/research	2020-25
Initiator system manufacture-Taurus	Manufacturing/production	2020-25
Large Scale formulations-Scorpius	Manufacturing/production	2025-30
Small Scale formulations-Cepheus	Manufacturing/production	2025-30
New Plutonium (Pu) Facility – not yet named	Manufacturing/production	2025-30
New depleted Uranium Facility	Manufacturing/production	2025-30
Assembly for Trials-Columba	Testing/research	2025-30
High Explosive Climatic Trials	Testing/research	2025-30
Non-Metallics & materials R&D-Libra	Testing/research	2025-30
Chemical processing-Astra	Manufacturing/production	2025-30

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 20W, on Bovine Tuberculosis, and to Answer 3 of his Department’s response to Freedom of Information request RFI 6487, Investigations into culling as an option, published on 7 May 2014, for what reasons the Answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion did not give information on the trials into using gas as a potential method for culling badgers which began in Summer 2013; on what date those trials commenced; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice

In August 2013, we commissioned new research into alternative methods of culling badgers.

The first step involved reviewing and updating the ‘Review of effectiveness, environmental impact, humaneness and feasibility of lethal methods for badger control’ published in 2005. The review was completed in September 2013.

In October and November 2013 we carried out initial trials of nitrogen-filled foam to analyse its dispersal in an artificial sett-like environment. These trials did not involve the use of active setts or tests on live animals.

Further research is now planned into the use of carbon monoxide as a potential sett-based means of humane culling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Israeli counterpart in favour of the removal of demolition orders from all structures at the Tent of Nations farm outside Nahalin village on the West Bank.

Hugh Robertson

We have no plans, at the moment, to raise this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. However, we repeatedly make clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about continued demolitions of Palestinian property and the need to abide by their other obligations under international law. Officials from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the broad issue of demolitions on 28 May with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.