Havant is a national centre for aerospace and engineering excellence. Will the Minister join me in congratulating everyone involved in the ExoMars space programme?

Havant is a national centre for aerospace and engineering excellence. Will the Minister join me in congratulating everyone involved in the ExoMars space programme?

I certainly will. The UK space industry is indeed booming, with average growth rates of 8% over the past eight years. The ExoMars rover has been built in Stevenage, and I look forward to seeing the results from the Mars methane sniffer once it has completed its seven-month journey to Mars. I would like to tell the House that this morning I received an update from the UK Space Agency to say that a signal has now been received at mission control, so we can safely say that the launch has been a success.

I certainly will. The UK space industry is indeed booming, with average growth rates of 8% over the past eight years. The ExoMars rover has been built in Stevenage, and I look forward to seeing the results from the Mars methane sniffer once it has completed its seven-month journey to Mars. I would like to tell the House that this morning I received an update from the UK Space Agency to say that a signal has now been received at mission control, so we can safely say that the launch has been a success.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the location of the UK's first spaceport.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the location of the UK's first spaceport.

I met Transport and Defence Ministers yesterday to discuss progress on delivering the UK’s first space port. They are both part of the cross-governmental team taking forward the national space flight agenda. The Government have undertaken a public consultation on the eight potential locations, including Machrihanish in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a UK space port. Our response to that consultation will be published shortly.

I met Transport and Defence Ministers yesterday to discuss progress on delivering the UK’s first space port. They are both part of the cross-governmental team taking forward the national space flight agenda. The Government have undertaken a public consultation on the eight potential locations, including Machrihanish in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a UK space port. Our response to that consultation will be published shortly.

I thank the Minister for that answer. A space port would be a great boost to the British economy. Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway and all the facilities of a Royal Air Force base, and being far from densely populated areas, is obviously the clear choice for the space port. I urge the Government to go on to the next phase of the decision-making process quickly and choose Machrihanish as soon as possible.

I thank the Minister for that answer. A space port would be a great boost to the British economy. Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway and all the facilities of a Royal Air Force base, and being far from densely populated areas, is obviously the clear choice for the space port. I urge the Government to go on to the next phase of the decision-making process quickly and choose Machrihanish as soon as possible.

I assure my hon. Friend that we will be taking the first part of his advice and proceeding quickly, but it would be wrong to pre-empt the outcome of that consultation and to nominate Machrihanish from the Dispatch Box today.

I assure my hon. Friend that we will be taking the first part of his advice and proceeding quickly, but it would be wrong to pre-empt the outcome of that consultation and to nominate Machrihanish from the Dispatch Box today.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on proposals for Machrihanish to become the site of the UK's first spaceport.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on proposals for Machrihanish to become the site of the UK's first spaceport.

The Government set out in July their ambition to start hosting commercial spaceflights from the UK by 2018. The activity is being driven by a cross-Government team that reports to me as well as to Ministers in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport. We have undertaken a public consultation on the potential locations—including the one in my hon. Friend’s constituency—and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a spaceport. Our response will be published shortly.

The Government set out in July their ambition to start hosting commercial spaceflights from the UK by 2018. The activity is being driven by a cross-Government team that reports to me as well as to Ministers in the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport. We have undertaken a public consultation on the potential locations—including the one in my hon. Friend’s constituency—and the criteria that will be used to select the location of a spaceport. Our response will be published shortly.

I thank the Minister for his answer. When the Government take the decision on the location of Britain’s first spaceport, will they take into account the fact that Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway, all the facilities of the former RAF base and a location that is far from densely populated areas, satisfies the criteria perfectly and is clearly the obvious choice for Britain’s first spaceport?

I thank the Minister for his answer. When the Government take the decision on the location of Britain’s first spaceport, will they take into account the fact that Machrihanish, with its 3 km runway, all the facilities of the former RAF base and a location that is far from densely populated areas, satisfies the criteria perfectly and is clearly the obvious choice for Britain’s first spaceport?

My hon. Friend has taken the opportunity to make a strong case for Machrihanish. He will not be surprised to hear that some of his hon. Friends make equally persuasive cases for their own constituencies. It shows that this competition has captured the public imagination and is a great one to have been launched.

My hon. Friend has taken the opportunity to make a strong case for Machrihanish. He will not be surprised to hear that some of his hon. Friends make equally persuasive cases for their own constituencies. It shows that this competition has captured the public imagination and is a great one to have been launched.

With the extraordinary technical achievement of the Rosetta landing last week and the announcement of crowdfunding for Lunar Mission One this week, will the Minister responsible for science take this opportunity to congratulate the British space community on its scientific excellence and its enterprise?

With the extraordinary technical achievement of the Rosetta landing last week and the announcement of crowdfunding for Lunar Mission One this week, will the Minister responsible for science take this opportunity to congratulate the British space community on its scientific excellence and its enterprise?

I will indeed do that. I had the great pleasure of visiting Stevenage earlier this week to congratulate in person many of the scientists and engineers who worked on that brilliantly successful Rosetta mission. They demonstrated the Mars Rover, which is going to be the next source of excitement.

I will indeed do that. I had the great pleasure of visiting Stevenage earlier this week to congratulate in person many of the scientists and engineers who worked on that brilliantly successful Rosetta mission. They demonstrated the Mars Rover, which is going to be the next source of excitement.

And Harwell in my constituency!

And Harwell in my constituency!

My ministerial colleague quite rightly calls on me to mention the signal role played by Harwell and, indeed, many other space and scientific establishments across the country. It was a great day for UK science.

My ministerial colleague quite rightly calls on me to mention the signal role played by Harwell and, indeed, many other space and scientific establishments across the country. It was a great day for UK science.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps he has taken to encourage the growth of a space tourism industry in the the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps he has taken to encourage the growth of a space tourism industry in the the UK.

Motion made, that the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 16374/12, a Commission Communication on establishing appropriate relations between the European Union and the European Space Agency; and supports the Government’s aim to work with the European Commission and ESA to begin a period of discussions about the future relationship between the ESA and the EU in which it will seek to ensure that any Commission proposal for evolution of the relationship supports the growth of the UK space sector, avoids duplication of expertise and functions between the ESA and the EU, protects the UK’s ability to participate in certain space programmes on a voluntary basis, and fully analyses the implications for the EU budget and EU competence, so that a fully informed decision can be taken next year. Agreed to on question.

Motion made, that the Committee takes note of European Union Document No. 16374/12, a Commission Communication on establishing appropriate relations between the European Union and the European Space Agency; and supports the Government’s aim to work with the European Commission and ESA to begin a period of discussions about the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the European Space Agency on the viability of the Skylon Spaceplace; and if he will make a statement.

[121451]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the European Space Agency on the viability of the Skylon Spaceplace; and if he will make a statement.

[121451]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what preparations his Department is making on a regulatory framework for reusable spaceplanes; and if he will make a statement.

[121531]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what preparations his Department is making on a regulatory framework for reusable spaceplanes; and if he will make a statement.

[121531]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to provide funding for space projects related to a future moon landing; what discussions the UK Space Agency has had with the US administration on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

[119768]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to provide funding for space projects related to a future moon landing; what discussions the UK Space Agency has had with the US administration on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

[119768]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support he plans to provide to space exploration in each of the next five years; what recent reports he has received of assistance given to space exploration by the governments and administrations of (a) the US, (b) the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support he plans to provide to space exploration in each of the next five years; what recent reports he has received of assistance given to space exploration by the governments and administrations of (a) the US, (b) the...