Lords Arctic Committee open inquiry with evidence from Government officials
The House of Lords Select Committee on the Arctic will this week hold their first evidence session when they question Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence officials. The Committee is inquiring into recent and expected changes in the Arctic and their possible impact on the UK and its international relations.
The Committee will hear from:
- Jane Rumble, Head of Polar Regions Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Henry Burgess, Deputy Head of Polar Regions Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Martin Molloy, United Nations, OSCE and Arctic Policy, Ministry of Defence
- Debbie Brothers, Deputy Head of Bilateral Relations, NATO and Europe Policy, Ministry of Defence.
Areas the session will cover include:
- What role is the UK seeking to play in the Arctic? What are the priorities for the UK's interests in the region?
- What role do the UK Government feel the Arctic Council should play in the governance of the region? What does the UK gain from observer status on the Council?
- How effectively does the UK work with the Arctic Council and eight Arctic states?
- What should be the role of NATO in the region?
- How are the Government supporting business activity in the Arctic by UK companies? What are the major economic opportunities in the region that UK businesses should look to exploit? Would the British people support further economic development in the Arctic?
The evidence session will start at approximately 10:35am on Wednesday 9 July in Committee Room 4 of the House of Lords.
The Committee are in the opening stages of their inquiry. They will publish a Call for Evidence later this month. To subscribe to an e-alert to be informed when the Call for Evidence is published please add your details on the Committee's webpage.
You can follow the Committee on Twitter: @LordsArcticCom.
