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24 April 2023 - Defence in Scotland - Oral evidence

Committee Scottish Affairs Committee
Inquiry Defence in Scotland

Monday 24 April 2023

Start times: 2:30pm (private) 3:00pm (public)


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Maritime and space on the agenda as MPs quiz academics on defence in Scotland

Academics from the Universities of Dundee, St Andrews and Edinburgh will be giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee in a session focused on maritime issues and space-based capabilities.

As part of the Committee’s inquiry into Defence in Scotland: The North Atlantic and the High North, MPs are keen to explore issues such as navigation rights and the offshore/subsea infrastructure that have an impact on defence and security in the Arctic and High North. They will also discuss the role space-based capabilities play in polar observation and surveillance, and the opportunities this presents for Scotland and its space sector.

Likely areas of questioning

Further issues likely to be discussed include:

  • The potential for conflict over territory in the Arctic amid Russia’s adversarial relationships with other Arctic States, and Russia’s new law concerning access to the Northern Sea Route;
  • Global competition over Arctic oil and gas, and fisheries;
  • The defence and security applications space-based capabilities may have in the North Atlantic and the High North;
  • Opportunities for Scotland’s space sector.

The evidence session follows reports that Russian ‘ghost ships’ are sailing through the North Sea looking into the ‘vulnerabilities’ of Britain’s underwater cables, offshore wind turbines and other pieces of critical infrastructure in preparation for a potential Russian attack.

Meeting details

At 3:00pm: Oral evidence
Inquiry Defence in Scotland
Professor in Law, Dundee Law School at University of Dundee
At 4:00pm: Oral evidence
Inquiry Defence in Scotland
Senior Lecturer in International Relations at University of St Andrews
Professor of Applied Earth Observation, School of Geosciences at University of Edinburgh

Location

Room 16, Palace of Westminster

How to attend