National Security Strategy
Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Browne of Ladyton(1 week, 2 days ago)
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Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent) (Lab)
My Lords, there are 20 minutes for these questions. We will hear from the Labour Benches.
Lord Browne of Ladyton (Lab)
My Lords, my noble friend the Leader will be aware that the National Risk Register, published in January, classifies a future pandemic as the catastrophic risk with the highest likelihood of happening. The defence review identifies engineering biology and new pathogens as a clear and present risk. The publication of the strategy came on the same day as the Foreign Secretary announced a contribution of £1.25 billion into the resources of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, we all now know about—or have had our memories refreshed on—the level of investment that the Government have promised to support the new network of national biosecurity centres. I consider all that to be security investment but, in the latter case, over what period will the £1 billion sustain these new centres?
Artificial Intelligence Opportunities Action Plan
Debate between Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent and Lord Browne of Ladyton(5 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent) (Lab)
My Lords, it is the turn of this side.
Lord Browne of Ladyton (Lab)
My Lords, I reassure my noble friend on the Liberal Democrat Benches that he should not worry too much about this. In September, I spent a significant amount of time in Ayrshire, in the company of a representative of one of the largest asset managers in the world. They were looking for a site in Ayrshire, thankfully, for what has become known as critical compute infrastructure. I was in the company of the local Member of Parliament, who was very keen to get this infrastructure there. In the first conversation we had with this investor, it was clear that access to energy was the most important factor as to whether we got this substantial investment. It was equally clear that global competition for this sort of investment was going to be dependent on the comparative rollout of newer advanced reactors.
We have a particular problem with this in Scotland. The current Scottish National Government are in opposition to building new nuclear power stations. When they were in coalition with the Scottish Greens, the position of the Scottish Greens was that there was nothing safe or secure about nuclear power. The point is that the new advanced reactors are much safer than they were. Will the Government, and the Minister in particular, come to Scotland to talk to SNP politicians and explain that this nuclear power is much safer, and that investment in it will bring this sort of investment into the country, so that we will not be left behind?