News story: Defence Secretary meets Apprentices working on nuclear submarines as new Training Facility announced

BAE Systems announced today that the new training facility will provide a tailored learning environment for an estimated 1,000 craft and technical apprentices currently in training.

Mr Fallon met apprentices working in a range of areas, and toured the Devonshire Dock Hall where Audacious, Anson and Agamemnon, the fourth, fifth and sixth of seven Astute class nuclear-powered submarines, are under construction.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

This investment demonstrates the benefits that our growing defence budget brings for highly skilled jobs in the North West and across the country.

It will ensure we have people with the skills necessary to deliver one of the most complex programmes in the world that will help modernise our fleet of nuclear submarines.

Apprentices at BAE Systems already work on our cutting-edge Astute Submarines, the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, as well the Dreadnought Programme, the new fleet of four Dreadnought Ballistic Missile submarines that will carry our nuclear deterrent.

The new modern facility is due to open next year and will include a teaching block, classrooms, offices, craft workshops and welfare facilities. It is planned that the facility will include to-scale ‘submarine mock-up sections’ which will allow apprentices to gain hands-on experience in a controlled environment and help them develop skills working to the tolerances required to build submarines.

Following a £1.3 billion investment by Defence, construction has started on the Dreadnought submarines. Backed by a rising Defence budget and £178 billion equipment programme, both Astute and Dreadnought programmes secure thousands of highly skilled jobs in Barrow and right across the UK.

Tony Johns, Managing Director of BAE Systems Submarines, said:

The design and build of a nuclear-powered submarine is one of the world’s most complex and technically demanding engineering challenges. It’s vital we have right people with the right skills to deliver these programmes and this investment underlines our commitment to the future. The new facility will provide a modern learning environment to supplement the training our apprentices already receive.

The MOD is committed to delivering more high quality apprenticeships and work experience for young people right across Defence, and encouraging our industry partners to do the same. As the largest provider of apprenticeships in the UK, the MOD successfully completes more than 10,000 apprenticeships a year and we are setting a target to deliver 50,000 military apprenticeships during this parliament.

Whilst in Barrow, the Secretary of State also visited Allan Webb Ltd, a specialist in Defence Technical Documentation and Supportability Engineering to review aspects of the support provided to the MOD. Allan Webb Ltd has a strong reputation in the Defence Sector for quality and innovation having over 50 years’ experience in the industry.

Allan Webb Ltd works in conjunction with BMT Defence Services, to increase the MOD’s capability with training and logistical support. BMT Defence Services has a strong reputation in the naval design market, having provided the winning designs for Royal Navy’s MARS Fleet Tanker, the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carrier, and the Astute submarine

The Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon said:

Allan Webb Ltd and BMT Defence Services operate a strong and efficient partnership that provides the MOD with world-leading service helping us to keep Britain safe.

During his visit, the Defence Secretary discussed the latest innovations in how technical equipment handbooks are produced for the MOD and the benefits of this modernisation in order to meet the needs of engineers across the Armed Forces.

Our work with companies of all sizes shows Defence’s determination to do its part to deliver a bold, long term Industrial Strategy that builds on our strengths and prepares the UK for the years ahead. We are working with SMEs and businesses of all kinds to innovate and build mutual security to ensure an economy that works for everyone.

Defence investment supports high-wage, high-skills jobs across the UK and backed by our rising Defence budget, £178bn Equipment Plan, and £800m Innovation Initiative, we are delivering the jobs, apprenticeships, infrastructure, and economy of the future.

You can find out more about Continuous At Sea Deterrence here.
You can find out more about MOD Apprenticeships here.

Protecting Scotland’s environment

20 Feb 2017

Maurice Golden

Our natural resources cannot be consumed at the current “unsustainable” rate, the Scottish Conservatives will declare this week, in a major new policy paper marking Scottish Environment Week.

In the document, to be published on Wednesday, the party will spell out a series of new initiatives designed to protect Scotland’s environment and tackle climate change.

The document comes with the Scottish Conservatives preparing for its spring conference on March 3^rd, where it will set out its plan to offer a fresh alternative to the SNP as Scotland’s main opposition party.

In the foreword, published today, the party’s environment spokesman Maurice Golden makes it clear that “we can no longer consume our natural resources at the current unsustainable rate, and we can no longer think of economic development as a competing force against environmental protection”.

Scottish Environment week is organised by Scottish Environment Link, and will feature a series of events designed to highlight efforts to tackle climate change. Among policies outlined in the new paper, the party will say:

10% of all the Scottish Government’s capital budget should be spent on energy efficiency measures – with the aim of ensuring all homes are energy efficiency by 2030.
A new target should be set to ensure 75% of all waste is recycled by 2035 through the creation of an easy-to-use collection system.
Ministers should create 15,000 hectares of new quality woodland per year – up from 7,600 a year in 2015.

Writing in the foreword to the document, Mr Golden will say:

“The Scottish Conservative approach to the Environment and Climate Change is founded on three key tenets.

“The first is a belief that Climate Change is one of the greatest challenges we face, and we must show leadership on the world stage to reduce global emissions.

“The second is that, in the long term, resource prices will increase, and moreover, access to these resources will become less reliable. By decreasing our reliance on products which are manufactured abroad we can reduce global emissions but also grow the economy and create jobs here in Scotland.

“The third tenet is that we need to look holistically at our management of the environment. That means making the business case, but also recognising that for certain projects the business case will not be viable if assessed via conventional accounting.

“We will prioritise achieving behaviour change, technological advancement, big data and innovation in order to tackle climate change, boost biodiversity, grow the economy, create more, better jobs and ensure new ideas are delivered for the benefit of Scotland.”

The full paper will be launched in Edinburgh on Wednesday by party leader Ruth Davidson and Mr Golden.

More details on Scottish Environment week here: http://www.scotlink.org/events/upcoming-events/scottish-environment-week/

Green Party: Government must stop pushing costs of social care onto councils and residents

20 February 2017

The Green Party has called on the Government to up spending on councils after it was revealed local services will still face deep cuts despite nearly every local authority in England planning to raise council taxes [1].

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

“The Government’s failure to invest in councils has put many in a desperate situation, with no choice but to cut valuable community resources like libraries and youth centres. The Government appears intent on starving local services and bringing almost every local authority close to financial breaking point.

“Proper social care for the elderly should be a red line. It should be non-negotiable and centrally funded. Government needs to take responsibility and invest in councils, rather than pushing costs onto residents and creating a postcode lottery of care. Instead of bringing the social care system to its knees, the Government should be facing up to the simple fact that if we want good social care we need to pay for it. The Green Party is the only party proposing that we make the right choice to invest in a secure future for our older people with free social care for the over 65s. ”

Notes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38982643

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Concern over closure of university adult learning classes

Following concerns from constituents, I have written to University of Dundee Principal Professor Sir Pete Downes expressing dismay at the closure of the School of Humanities’ educational and creative adult education classes as of April 2017.

Residents are concerned that the replacement which is a suite of credit-bearing modules will be more costly and deviates away from the principles of the adult education classes that have been so successful over the years.

These adult learning courses have run for many years and have been really successful. Many, but not all of the students, are at or beyond retirement age and many are already well- qualified, so replacing the courses with award bearing courses sadly will end a long tradition of offering general interest courses to members of the public.

At present there are 13 courses on offer at Dundee University, with over 200 registered enrolments. It seems such a shame to end the courses and I have asked the university for a re-think.

Professor Downes has now advised me :

We are replacing the current `Courses for Adults’ programme with a new suite of modules for students of all ages, which will give an introduction to studying at higher education level and will be credit bearing.

This aligns with our commitment to widening access to higher education. Modules will be available at the start of the next academic year in English, History, Creative Writing and Philosophy. There will be an option for students to opt-out of studying for credit.

These courses are replacing our previous provision, which was no longer sustainable and did not align with the priorities of the School of the Humanities and of the University.

The University’s contributions to the local community are very important to me and to many of our staff and students. The breadth of these depends on building sustainable models of delivery wherever possible. I expect adult education will remain an important part of our work with the local community but we need to consider adult education in a broader context and across a wider range of subjects and disciplines. The approach being taken by the School of Humanities to ensure sustainable provision of Continuing Education is as follows:

• The School of Humanities initiative to change its continuing education offering to a suite of four 10 credit bearing modules will widen access to higher education and be in line with the Universities commitment to public engagement and outreach.

• This offering will extend the opportunity to reach people who may wish to engage with HE later in their lives, or who wish to study whilst having other commitments which prohibits them from a full time programme.

• A matriculated student undertaking study for credit may be able to apply for help with course fees from the following:

o Individual Learning Account (ILA)

o Part-time Fee Grant

There are wider implications for the University as a whole and for our commitments to, and responsibility for, public engagement. Much work is currently being done to prepare the University’s strategic plan for the period from 2017 to 2022 and I have asked our Vice Principal (Learning & Teaching) to review Continuing Education and its part in our widening access and public engagement work as part of the refreshed University strategy, which will be in place from the start of the next academic year.

I hope that the Vice Principal (Learning & Teaching) when reviewing Continuing Education will bear in mind that many constituents and the Dundee University Courses for Adults Association committee do not want the present provision to end.

Recording of the week: Pierre Bourdieu and Terry Eagleton

This week's selection comes from Dr Eva del Rey, Curator of Drama and Literature Recordings and Digital Performance.

In this recording, made in 1991 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, British literary theorist Terry Eagleton discusses the intricacies of the concept of ideology with French sociologist, anthropologist and philosopher Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002).

Bourdieu explains his concept of symbolic violence, by which he means the systems of meaning that legitimize and thus solidify structures of inequality, often in a way that is undetectable and invisible to its very victims.

Pierre Bourdieu and Terry Eagleton in conversation

Fight with Cudgels (c.1820-1823), Francisco de Goya. Wikimedia Commons.

This recording is an accessible introduction to one of the most influential social thinkers of the last three decades of the twentieth century, and also one of the very few available online featuring Pierre Bourdieu explaining his work in the English language.

Over 800 recordings of talks and discussions held at the ICA between 1982-1993 can be explored on British Library Sounds.

Follow @BL_DramaSound and @soundarchive for all the latest news.