Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India about the imprisonment of Jagtar Singh Johal.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We regularly raise Mr Johal's case directly with the Government of India, including his allegations of torture, his right to a fair trial, and concerns about delays to legal proceedings against him. We have emphasised to the Government of India the need for Mr Johal's torture allegations to be fully investigated. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's case with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on 15 December 2020. The Secretary of State for International Trade raised the case with the Indian Minister for Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on 5 February. As the Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon last raised Mr Johal's case with the Indian High Commissioner on 16 April 2021. He also raised Mr Johal's case with the Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kishan Reddy, and with Minister Prasad on 15 March.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Mexico about (1) the whereabouts of Claudia Uruchurtu, and (2) the steps it is taking to find her.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are concerned about the disappearance of Claudia Uruchurtu, a Mexican national who has been missing since 26 March. Our Ambassador has raised the disappearance with the Mexican authorities at both state and federal levels, and is continuing to do so in support of Claudia's British dual-national family. The Mexican authorities have committed to carrying out an investigation into Claudia's disappearance.
We are aware that the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances has issued an urgent action request to the Mexican state to locate Claudia. As Claudia is a Mexican national, and is in Mexico, our authority and responsibility for engaging in this case is limited. However, our Embassy staff in Mexico City are in contact with Claudia's sisters, who are in Mexico helping with the search, and our Embassy team is helping the family access assistance from human rights groups in the area, and from the local UN human rights office.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held in relation to safety issues regarding civil vessels operating in close vicinity to (1) the Hunterston nuclear power station, and (2) nuclear power stations in general.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No discussions have been held specifically in relation to safety issues posed by civil vessels operating in close vicinity to any nuclear site.
Nuclear sites must comply with the UK’s stringent nuclear safety regulations, overseen by a robust and independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
The primary responsibility for nuclear safety, and the assessment of potential risks to a nuclear licensed site from all hazards, rests with the licence holder – in this case Magnox for Hunterston A and EDF Energy for Hunterston B. Under the licence conditions, licensees are required to consider the effect of a wide range of potentially hazardous events (man-made and environmental) and demonstrate that any associated risks to the nuclear facility are manageable and will not result in catastrophic consequences within the nuclear facility’s risk assessment (known as the ‘safety case’).
The ONR would not permit any site to operate if it judged that its safety case was not sufficiently robust and demonstrated that it could operate and shutdown safely under hazardous conditions.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the Office for Nuclear Regulation regarding the transportation of spent fuel rods recently discovered at the Hunterston nuclear power plant to the Sellafield nuclear power plant; and whether the spent fuel rods will now be transported to the Sellafield nuclear power plant.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The discovery of spent fuel at Hunterston A forms part of the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) approved safety case and operating procedure for the retrieval activities associated with waste at the site. The discovered spent fuel remains in a safe and controlled environment at Hunterston A until a decision has been made, in conjunction with the ONR, about how they should be processed, packaged and stored prior to final disposal.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with EDF regarding safety issues at (1) Hunterston B, and (2) Hunterston A, nuclear power stations since 2015.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All generating nuclear power stations and nuclear decommissioning sites must comply with our stringent nuclear safety laws, overseen by a robust and independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
Hunterston B is a generating nuclear power station that is operated by EDF. BEIS officials meet regularly with EDF to discuss a range of matters relating to the generating fleet of power stations including relevant safety issues, performance of all stations including Hunterston B.
Hunterston A power station is being decommissioned. Magnox Limited, a subsidiary of Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the site. BEIS officials meet regularly with NDA and Magnox Ltd staff to understand relevant safety issues, progress and performance at all Magnox sites including Hunterston A.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the Scottish Government relating to radioactive waste held at the site of the Hunterston nuclear power station; and, in any such discussions, how they addressed existing radioactive waste policy.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Officials regularly engage with officials in the Scottish Government to discuss issues relating to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and to discuss the management of radioactive waste. BEIS officials also regularly engage with EDF and with Magnox Limited, who are respectively responsible for the Hunterston B and Hunterston A sites to discuss a range of matters, including any relevant issues relating to the management of radioactive waste. Policy on the management of radioactive waste is a devolved matter. While there are regular discussions between the Scottish Government and BEIS officials on radioactive waste management policy matters generally, there have been no recent specific discussions between the UK Government and the Scottish Government relating to radioactive waste held at the Hunterston site (A and B nuclear power stations).
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held in relation to (1) Chinook helicopters flying low over, and (2) other military exercises taking place in close proximity to, people's houses in the vicinity of (a) the Hunterston nuclear power station, and (b) nuclear power stations in general.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Nuclear Facilities are classified as National Avoidance Areas for both military and civil aircraft and Restricted Areas of two nautical miles radius are in place around nuclear installations. Military aircraft will not operate at low level over Restricted Areas.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for extending school Christmas breaks to assist in containing the spread of COVID-19; and what plans, if any, they have to introduce such an extension.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The government continues to prioritise the wellbeing and long-term futures of our children and young people. It remains very important for children to continue attending school, to support their wellbeing and education, and help working parents and guardians. Senior clinicians still advise that school is the best place for children to be, and schools have implemented a range of protective measures to make them safe. We therefore do not have plans to ask schools to change their Christmas holidays, or close early this term.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and with whom, about the economic impact of the permanent closure of Hunterston B nuclear power station; and what steps they intend to take to ensure an economic investment package is put in place in view of job losses and the wider economic impact of that closure.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
EDF Energy recently announced that Hunterston B would close no later than January 2022. EDF Energy, as owner and operator of the power station, is responsible for the management of the closure, in consultation with the nuclear regulator, including any related employment matters arising from closure and during the subsequent station decommissioning.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is working with EDF Energy and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to consider how efficient and cost-effective decommissioning of EDF Energy-owned nuclear power stations can be planned for and delivered in the future. This work does not affect the closure of the stations.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about Loujain al-Hathloul, in particular about her access to family visits.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, our Ambassador and Embassy in Riyadh have raised concern over the continued detention of Women's Rights Defenders, including Loujain al-Hathloul, at senior levels with the Saudi authorities. This was also raised by the Foreign Secretary during his recent trip to Saudi Arabia. We have consistently pressed for due process, raised concerns about the use of solitary confinement, lack of family contact and allegations of torture. The UK, along with other embassies in Saudi Arabia, consistently attempt to attend all trials of Women's Rights Defenders, but have been denied access since October 2018. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, calling for the release of Women's Rights Defenders. I raised Women's Rights Defenders during my call with Dr Awwad al-Awwad, the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, in June.