Mayors for Peace / NFLA (Nuclear Free Local Authorities) English Forum Joint Seminar
Replacing Trident – what should happen next?
Date: 8th July 2011
Location: Mayor’s Parlour, Town Hall, Oxford
In May 2011 the UK Government announced its ‘Initial Gate’ decision, committing up to £3bn for the initial developments for the replacement of Trident submarines and missiles – a final decision on the programme will be made after the 2015 general election. The spending of such resources at a time of huge cuts across public spending is a matter of much debate. It also raises the wider question as to whether the UK requires a nuclear deterrent in a world where conventional and potentially even possible ‘dirty bomb’ type terrorist attacks are more likely.
This seminar will consider the work groups like Mayors for Peace, BASIC and NIS are engaging with nationally and internationally in seeking to build consensus for reductions in nuclear weapons around the world. It will also consider the recently-signed defence treaty between the UK and French governments which announced close co-operation on nuclear weapons development, partially based at the atomic weapons facilities in Aldermaston and Burghfield in nearby West Berkshire. What are the local and national issues around such developments?
This seminar is FREE and open to all interested Mayors for Peace and NFLA member councils, interested non-members and interested local and national groups.
PROGRAMME (speakers may be subject to change)
11.00am UK Mayors for Peace Working Group business meeting – all members and interested groups are welcome to attend
12.30pm Registration: Tea/Coffee
1.00pm Welcomes: Councillor Elise Benjamin, Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Van Coulter, NFLA representative for Oxford City Council and Councillor Ralph Pryke, NFLA England Chair.
1.10pm Paul Ingram, Executive Director, British American Information Security Council (BASIC) – Trident replacement: what next? The work of the cross-party Trident Commission. (to be confirmed)
1.40pm Stephen Hendry, Nuclear Information Service, Reading – The Anglo-French Defence Treaty and developments at Aldermaston and Burghfield. (confirmed)
2.10pm Aaron Tovish, Executive Director, Mayors for Peace – how the Mayors for Peace coalition is influencing the nuclear disarmament debate. (to be confirmed)
2.40pm Panel Discussion
3.00pm Conclusion
Mayors for Peace and the NFLA English Forum would like to thank the Lord Mayor of Oxford & Oxford City Council for kindly hosting this seminar
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