Annabelle Lillycrop is one of our Community Engagement Managers. She acts as a key point of contact for communities wishing to find out more about the possibility of hosting a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

Annabelle has significant public and stakeholder engagement and partnership development experience and knowledge in the environmental and nuclear sectors, and previously worked with the environmental regulator, the Environment Agency, where she led nationally on engagement for the Nuclear Regulatory Group.

Annabelle does not live far from the Hinkley Point power station, and knows what life is like in a community that hosts a major nuclear facility. In her new blog, she introduces the unique community consent-based process to find a suitable location for a GDF.

The process is designed to make sure any interested community can make a fully informed decision about hosting a GDF.

Annabelle writes:

Any community that gets involved will naturally have lots of questions and may have concerns. It’ll be my responsibility, and my colleagues’, to make sure we provide satisfactory answers. There’s no off-the-shelf way to do this; it all depends on what your community needs and is comfortable with. We might organise public exhibitions and meetings, we’ll set up a website, and post information on social media, for example.

We’ll keep working with your community until people feel that they can make an informed decision about hosting a GDF. It might take a long time to reach this point, and that’s all right. This is a long-term project, and informed consent is more important than a quick decision.

Read the blog in full here.

Our report into a collision during a training and familiarisation exercise on the River Cleddau, near Milford Haven on 17 September 2019 with loss of 1 life, is now published.

Statement from the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents

This tragic accident could have been avoided had the training activities been properly planned and communicated to all the fire and rescue crew on the water that morning. It was unnecessary for the two boats to be operating in close proximity to each other in a wide stretch of the River Cleddau. Neither of the boat’s crew were aware of the other’s intended activities, nor were they keeping an effective lookout as they manoeuvred at speed.

Our investigation found that elements of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service documentation and procedures for boat operations were out of date, unclear and presented confusing safety messages to the reader. In addition, it was found that at a national level, fire and rescue service boats are not being operated consistently to a recognised standard when not on inland flood rescue duties.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has taken a number of actions following this investigation, but I have recommended that it also review the qualifications required of its boat crews and implement measures to maintain crew competency. I have further recommended that the National Fire Chief’s Council work with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to introduce a standard code for the operations of its water craft.

Thank you, Madam President.

The United Kingdom welcomes steps taken by Panama to promote and protect human rights since the 2015 universal periodic review, including adopting a National Preventive Mechanism as part of the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

The UK also welcomes Panama’s adoption of the adversarial judicial system. We urge the Government to further strengthen this system, by boosting its resources and guaranteeing that independent appointments are made to ensure the impartiality of justice.

We note that a free press is essential for ensuring democratic accountability, and therefore urge the Government to uphold the freedom of the media and the rights of journalists. Laws criminalising defamation should be repealed.

We recommend that Panama:

1. Devote futher resources to proactively investigating reports of forced adult and child labour in the construction, mining and agriculture sectors, and bringing those responsible to justice.

2. Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.

3. Adopt, in consultation with civil society organisations, comprehensive legislation and policies against discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Thank you, Madam President.

David Bolt, the current Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, has agreed to extend his term.

The extension will enable continuity while a recruitment competition to appoint a new Chief Inspector is completed.

Since his appointment in May 2015, Mr Bolt’s leadership of the ICIBI has been integral in ensuring the Home Office continues to address and improve its border and immigration function.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

I want to thank David for his vital and exemplary work which constructively challenges the department’s immigration functions so that they are as effective as they can be.

I’m glad David has agreed to extend his term until a new Chief Inspector can be appointed, to prevent a gap in the important scrutiny of the Home Office’s work.

This extension has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which allows ministers to extend the terms of public appointees.

A competition to recruit a new Chief Inspector is underway.