Author Archives: HM Government

I welcome the UN Security Council’s decision to unanimously adopt the UK drafted resolution targeting arms smuggling in the high seas off the coast of Libya.

The resolution demonstrates the international community’s commitment to tackle the illegal flow of weapons into Libya, which fuels internal conflict. It enables international and regional organisations to stop vessels thought to be carrying arms, and acts as an important deterrent to those seeking to smuggle arms into the country by sea.

The UK is committed to bringing this conflict to a close and give the Libyan people the security and political stability they deserve. We call upon the international community to act quickly and firmly on this resolution, and to collectively tackle other flows of arms that continue to destabilise the country.

Thursday’s NDA Estate Supply Chain Event has reached full capacity, with a record 1,600 visitors now signed up to attend.

More than 300 organisations have taken exhibition space at the EventCity venue, Manchester, which will once again feature the popular Innovation Zone, with technology demonstrations throughout the day. Last year saw the launch of the Skills Zone which has expanded for 2017.

Other government departments attending include:

• the Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• the export-focused Department for International Trade (DIT)
• innovation agency Innovate UK

The event is organised jointly by the NDA and its Site Licence Companies and is now believed to be the biggest of its kind in Europe. Launched in 2011, its aim is to create greater visibility of opportunities for suppliers, in particular for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The morning will be opened by new NDA Chief Executive David Peattie, with a further keynote speech by Rear Admiral Keith Beckett from the MOD’s submarine programme.

This will be followed by the annual awards ceremony that acknowledges the vital role of suppliers in driving decommissioning progress across the UK.

The afternoon will see a series of presentations from the NDA’s business units, outlining future opportunities. The day brings together suppliers of all sizes with organisations placing contracts, and provides opportunities for informal face-to-face networking while showcasing the latest nuclear technologies.

Ron Gorham, the NDA’s Head of Supply Chain Optimisation and SME Champion, said:

We’re delighted that the event continues to attract ever more interest, and this year’s looks set to be the busiest yet.

We look forward to engaging with our supply chain, discussing opportunities, listening to their feedback and encouraging newcomers to become involved with decommissioning across the UK. Suppliers are vital to our success and we hope they will take full advantage of the presentations and informal networking.

If you’re not attending, then keep up to date via Twitter and #DecommSupply

New duty solicitor rotas are available covering the period from 1 July to 31 December 2017.

MAIB’s report and accompanying safety flyer on the investigation of the fire on board fishing vessel Ardent II while alongside in Port Henry Basin, Peterhead on 16 August 2016 is now published.

The report contains details of what happened and the subsequent actions taken.

A safety flyer for the fishing industry summarising the accident and detailing the safety lessons learned has also been produced.