Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG, the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords, is leading a delegation of Members from the House of Lords and the House of Commons to Kolkata and Guwahati to strengthen links and co-operation between Indian and British parliamentarians. They are coming from Delhi where they held a series of meetings on Monday.
In Kolkata and Guwahati the 10-member British delegation will have interactive sessions with elected representatives from the West Bengal and Assam legislative assemblies. The visiting parliamentarians are keen to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by their Indian colleagues on various fronts including the relationship between business, civil society and elected representatives; the representation of women in political life and progress towards achieving gender equality in politics; and relationship between the Union and State legislatures.
The UK delegation will call on the Hon’ble Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Assam during their visit.
Apart from meeting parliamentarians, the visiting delegation will also have meetings with trade and industry leaders, see firsthand civil society at work and interact with social activists, and engage in Indo-UK work on environment issues.
A priority for the visiting delegation is to learn how India is dealing with issues of international concern including tackling climate change and developing climate smart cities and promoting renewable energy; advancing women and girl’s rights; and the work towards ensuring food security. The visitors are keen to explore pro-growth and sustainable initiatives being taken to achieve these objectives. At the same time, the British parliamentarians will have broad-ranging discussion with business and industry leaders to understand the current economic challenges and opportunities in India and the areas where the UK and India can partner each other for mutual growth and prosperity.
While in Guwahati, the delegation will also attend a UK-supported seminar on India Burma Young Leaders’ Dialogue and pay their tribute to those who had sacrificed their lives in the World Wars at the CWGC Gauhati War Cemetery.
Overview of Visit-Kolkata 17-18 February 2015
1. The Delegation will visit Sri Sri Academy, an ISA school, to see firsthand the British Council’s work with schools and young audiences.
2. The Delegation will be hosted by the Hon’ble Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, Mr Biman Banerjee, for an Interactive Session with West Bengal Members of the Legislative Assembly.
3. The delegation will call on the West Bengal Governor His Excellency Mr Keshari Nath Tripathi
4. The Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza and Hon’ble Mayor of Kolkata, Mr Sovan Chatterjee, will launch a first-of-its-kind sensitisation toolkit on climate smart Kolkata for Councillors of KMC.
5. The delegation will call on the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms Mamata Banerjee.
6. Panel discussion on Striving for Gender Equality in Politics co-hosted by the Ananta Aspen Centre discussing experiences, cultures, challenges and progress.
7. The delegation will spend time to meet children from Khelo Rugby and see them practice.
8. The Delegation with have an interactive session with industry leaders on business opportunities in West Bengal hosted by the British Business Group.
9. The Delegation will visit a branch of Arohan Financial Services, a DFID-supported microfinance programme.
10. See firsthand how Women’s Interlink Foundation, an NGO which provides girl children of sex workers with skills and vocational training, is skilling beneficiaries and making them financially self-reliant.
Overview of Visit-Guwahati 19-20 February 2015
1. The delegation will pay their tribute to those who had sacrificed their lives in the World Wars at the CWGC Gauhati War Cemetery. There are now 486 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. More details at http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1&sort=name&order=asc
2. Hosted by Youth Forum for Foreign Policy to encourage constructive dialogue on evolving India-Burma relationship, attend a seminar on India Burma Young Leaders’ Dialogue.
3. Visit a Tea Garden in Nagaon district and interact with Tea experts to understand the socio-economic importance of tea to the Assam.
4. Attend a Presentation by environmental NGOs, government officials, and sector experts on Assam wildlife and current conservation challenges.
5. Roundtable on Economic Challenges and Opportunities in the North East hosted by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
6. The Delegation will be hosted by the Hon’ble Speaker of the Assam Assembly, Mr Pranab Gogoi, for an Interactive Session with Assam Members of the Legislative Assembly.
7. The delegation will call on the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Mr Tarun Gogoi.
Delegation Biographies
Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG, Lord Speaker and Delegation Leader
Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG was elected Lord Speaker of the House of Lords in 2011. Baroness D’Souza was educated at St Mary’s School, Princethorpe and studied Anthropology at University College, London, graduating in 1970. She subsequently undertook further study at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.) in 1976. Baroness D’Souza worked for the Nuffield Institute of Comparative Medicine from 1973 to 1977, Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University) from 1977 to 1980 and was an independent research consultant for the UN from 1985 to 1988.
Baroness D’Souza was invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1999 and became a life peer on 1 July 2004. She held the position of Convenor of the Crossbench Peers before her election to the post of Lord Speaker.
The Lord Balfe of Dulwich, Member of the House of Lords, (Liberal Democrat)
Richard Balfe was raised to the peerage as Baron Balfe, of Dulwich in the London Borough of Southwark 2013. Lord Balfe is a Member, European Union Sub-committee A (Economic and Financial Affairs) (2014-) and Vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group’s on Turkey (2014-) and Australia and New Zealand (2014-) respectively.
Prior to entering the House of Lords, Lord Balfe was a Member (1973-77) of the Greater London Council (GLC) and Chair, Housing Committee (1975-77)for the GLC before becoming Member of the European Parliament for London South Inner 1979-99, for London 1999-2004.
Rt Hon. Simon Burns MP, Member of Parliament for Chelmsford Eastern (Conservative)
Simon contested Alyn and Deeside in the 1983 general election and has been a Member for Chelmsford 1987-97, for Chelmsford West 1997-2010 and currently for Chelmsford since May 2010 general election. Simon has served as: PPS to Timothy Eggar as Minister of State at Departments of Employment 1989-90, Education and Science 1990-92, Trade and Industry 1992-93, to Gillian Shephard as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1993-94; as Assistant Government Whip 1994-95; Government Whip 1995-96; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health 1996-97; Opposition Spokesperson for Social Security 1997-1998, Environment, Transport and the Regions (Planning, Housing and Construction) 1998-99, Health 2001-05. He has been Shadow Minister for: Health and Education 2001-04, Health 2004-05; Opposition Whip 2005-10; Minister of State: for Health, Department of Health 2010-12, Department for Transport 2012-13; Contested Deputy Speaker election 2013.
Simon has also sat on numerous Select Committees including; Health 1999-05, Public Accounts 2000-01, Armed Forces Bill 2005-06, Administration 2006-09, Selection 2007-08. Simon is also a Member, UK Delegation, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly 2014-present.
Rt Rev. the Lord Harries of Pentregarth, Member of the House of Lords, (Crossbench)
Lord Bishop Harries was raised to the peerage as Baron Harries of Pentregarth, of Ceinewydd in the County of Dyfed 2006 and first entered the House of Lords as Bishop of Oxford in 1993.
Political career: Convener of Bench of Bishops, 1998-2006; Member of the following Lords Select Committees: Works of Art, 2012-; Joint Committee on Privacy and Injunctions, 2011-2012; Procedure, 2007-2012; Chair Stern Cell Research, 2001-2002; Member, House of Lords’ Offices, 1997-2001; Chair, Interfaith All-Party Parliamentary Group since 2011. Lord Harries is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dalits.
Andy Love MP, Member of Parliament for Edmonton, London (Labour)
Andy was first elected in 1997, joining the House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, which scrutinises the expenditure of Parliament and its associated organisations, and assesses the value for money given to taxpayers in relation to Parliament’s work.
He has also held roles as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to ministers in the Departments of Health, Trade and Industry and Communities and Local Government. Since 2005 Andy has been a member of the Treasury Select Committee, which investigates issues surrounding the economy and the banking and financial sectors. In his time on the Committee Andy has had the opportunity to question three different Chancellors, the Governor of the Bank of England and prominent figures from banks and financial institutions on how their policies and actions affect the wider UK and global economy. He is also an active member of a number of All Party Parliamentary Groups that reflect the concerns and backgrounds of many people in Edmonton.
The Lord Purvis of Tweed, Member of the House of Lords (Liberal Democrat)
Jeremy is a Liberal Democrat working peer and one of the youngest ever Life Peers. He was elected to the Scottish Parliament as the youngest constituency MSP, aged 29. He served two terms in Holyrood as MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale. The seat no longer exists owing to boundary changes. During his terms in Holyrood he served as the Scottish Lib Dem Shadow Finance Secretary. In 2011-12 he chaired the cross party Devo Plus group writing their proposals for the future of Scotland.
He was born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed in 1974, studied politics and history and remains committed to the Scottish Borders. He took the title Tweed after his native river; being born at its mouth and representing its source in his former constituency.
Dame Angela Watkinson DBE MP, Member of Parliament for Upminster, London (Conservative)
Angela was elected Member for Upminster 2001-10, for Hornchurch and Upminster since May 2010 general election. During her parliamentary career Angela has served as: Opposition Whip 2002-04; Shadow Minister for: Health and Education 2004, Education 2004-05, Local Government Affairs and Communities 2005; Opposition Whip 2005-10; Government Whip 2010-12. Angela has also been a Member of Select Committees on:Home Affairs 2001-02, European Scrutiny 2002-03, Selection 2010-12, Work and Pensions 2013-2014 and Secretary of the Backbench Committee on Conservative Education Policy Committee 2001-02. Angela is also a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 2004-05, 2013-present.
Andrew Tuggey DL, Chief Executive and Secretary
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch, Houses of Parliament
Hatty Cooper, Head of International Outreach
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch, Houses of Parliament
Simon Blackburn, Private Secretary to the Lord Speaker
House of Lords, Houses of Parliament