There seems to have been a revolving door between CH2M and HS2 which must be investigated – Andy McDonald
Andy
McDonald, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on
reports that engineering firm CH2M has pulled out of a deal to provide rail
lines for phase 2b of HS2, said:
“It’s
remarkable the Department of Transport failed to do proper due diligence on
this multi-million pound bid.
“How
could ministers not realise giving CH2M a £170m contract when HS2’S new chief
executive and his predecessor both worked for the firm was a massive
conflict of interest?
“There
seems to have been a revolving door between CH2M and HS2 which must be
investigated. This is just as big a mess as the Department of Transport’s
mishandling of the West Coast franchise bid.
“Chris
Grayling must come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to
explain how this bidding process was allowed to derail. They chose to bury the
bad news on Article 50 day. There must now be an inquiry into the serious
errors surrounding this bid and the Government must get the construction of
HS2, which Labour supports, back on track.”
Gorton by-election is a chance for Manchester to say no to a hard Brexit
As the Prime Minister triggered Article 50, the Liberal Democrats have emphasised that it is still possible for people to stop a Hard Brexit and that the by-election in Manchester Gorton will be a chance to force Labour and the Government to “change course.”
Lib Dem membership reaches 87,000 as Article 50 is triggered
The Liberal Democrats have seen their membership surge to 87,000 on the same day Article 50 is triggered.
Children in countries facing famine threatened by lack of water, sanitation – UN agency
29 March 2017 – In African and Middle Eastern countries facing famine, unsafe water is as dangerous for severely malnourished children as lack of food, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today warned, noting that nearly 27 million people are at risk in northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.
“Unsafe water can cause malnutrition or make it worse, no matter how much food a malnourished child eats, he or she will not get better if the water they are drinking is not safe,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes.
The UN agency is warning that a combination of malnutrition, dirty water and poor sanitation sets off a vicious cycle from which many children never recover.
In northeast Nigeria, where the fight on Boko Haram damaged or destroyed 75 per cent of water and sanitation infrastructure, some 3.8 million people have no access to safe water, according to UNICEF.
In Somalia, about one-third of the population is expected to need access to water and sanitation in the coming weeks, according to the UN agency, pushing the current needs from 3.3 million to 4.5 million of people.
Some 5.1 million people lack safe water, sanitation and hygiene in South Sudan, where half of the water points in the country have been damaged or destroyed.
The fighting in Yemen has displaced at least 14.5 million people, leaving them without basic sanitation and adequate drinking water, UNICEF cautioned. According to the latest figures, almost 2 million children are at risk of diarrheal diseases which, even before the conflict, were the second leading cause of death among children under the age of five.
UNICEF is working with other UN agencies, national authorities and local partners to provide safe water and sanitation to children.
“But without an end to the conflicts plaguing these countries, without sustainable and unimpeded access to the children in need of support and without more resources, even our best efforts will not be enough,” Mr. Fontaine said.