The Antarctic Bill would implement Annex VI (the ‘Liability Annex’) to the Antarctic Treaty’s Environmental Protocol and sets out measures to reduce risks of environmental emergencies in Antarctica. It would also make a number of changes to the Antarctic Act 1994 to give additional protection to the Antarctic environment. This Library Note provides background information in advance of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords on 1 February 2013.
Antarctic Bill (HL Bill 76 of 2012-13) (358 KB , PDF)
The Antarctic Bill would implement Annex VI (the ‘Liability Annex’) to the Antarctic Treaty’s Environmental Protocol and sets out measures to reduce risks of environmental emergencies in Antarctica. It would also make a number of changes to the Antarctic Act 1994 to give additional protection to the Antarctic environment. This Library Note provides background information in advance of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords on 1 February 2013. It gives brief background on the UK’s involvement in the Antarctic and the Antarctic Treaty, before summarising the Bill’s report stage and third reading in the House of Commons. The Note should be read in conjunction with House of Commons Library Research Paper, Antarctic Bill, (30 October 2012, RP 12/63), and House of Commons Library Standard Note, Antarctic Bill: Committee Stage, (17 January 2013, SN/IA/6528). Also relevant are House of Lords Library Note, Debate on 18 October, Scott Expedition to Antarctica and Scientific Legacy, (16 October 2012, LLN 2012/034) and House of Commons Library Standard Note, Antarctica: The Treaty System and Territorial Claims, (18 July 2012, SN/IA/5040).
Antarctic Bill (HL Bill 76 of 2012-13) (358 KB , PDF)
The House of Lords is due to debate a motion moved by Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative) that “this House takes note of the role of civil nuclear power in meeting the United Kingdom’s (1) electricity needs, and (2) energy security”. This article gives an overview of nuclear power in the UK. It looks at issues such as its role in meeting carbon reduction targets, safety and the disposal of radioactive waste.
In November 2021, the National Infrastructure Commission published the baseline report from its forthcoming second National Infrastructure Assessment. The baseline report evaluates the current state of the UK’s economic infrastructure and identifies key challenges for the coming decades, informing recommendations in the full assessment in 2023. The baseline report found that there has been significant progress in some areas such as gigabit broadband since the last Assessment in 2018. However, it added much more was required, particularly in areas such as electricity emissions and water pollution.
Several countries and parliaments have accused China of committing genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. The UK Government maintains that only a competent court can make this determination. However, the Times reported that the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Elizabeth Truss, had previously accused China of committing genocide. The House of Lords is due to take note of these reported remarks on 25 November 2021.
