The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was commissioned to research and produce the 2014 Government Spaceplan Review of commercial spaceplane certification and operations. In addition to identifying key criteria for UK spaceports, and identifying potential locations based on these, the Spaceplane Review also set out the potential for horizontal spaceplane operations from the UK and provided prospective businesses with the detailed groundwork for making commercial spaceflight operations in the UK a reality. This work is now providing the basis for the legislative measures that will be brought forward in the Modern Transport Bill to enable a broad commercial space market to develop in the UK. The Department for Transport contributed approximately £223,000 to this Review and the CAA’s subsequent work. The Department also incurred estimated costs of £86,000 in support of the 2014 Spaceplane Review and consulting on the review’s key criteria and conclusions on spaceport location, the outcome of which was published in March 2015 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria.

During the Queen’s Speech Transport debate on 19 May, the Secretary of State noted that a range of viable spaceport options had been put forward and that the Department supported those bids. The Secretary of State also set out that the Modern Transport Bill will create the right framework for the market to select what the best location for a UK spaceport will be. The Government’s ambition is that the United Kingdom’s space economy should account for 10% of the global space economy by 2030 - worth some £40 billion per year. In support of this innovative sector, the Department, working with the Civil Aviation Authority, UK Space Agency and interested businesses, has allocated nearly £3.3m within this Parliament to legislate and establish a safe regulatory framework to enable commercial spaceflight in the UK.

I refer my Hon Friend to my answer of 8 March, UIN 28858 (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=28858).

When the Government plans to make a decision on the location of a UK spaceport.

As the Member for Argyll and Bute, I have championed and will continue to champion the Machrihanish bid to become the UK’s spaceport. The community-owned facility has considerable advantages, including a 3 km runway and the overwhelming backing of the community. When will the next stage criteria be announced by the Department for Transport? Can the Minister assure all those who are working hard to bring the project to Machrihanish that the Government are still 100% committed to the creation of a UK spaceport?

I thank the Minister for his recent visit to Cornwall Newquay airport where he saw the excellent facilities we have there to host the spaceport. Will he confirm that he went away with the very clear message that Cornwall not only can accommodate but is ambitious to be the English bid for the spaceport?

The Government’s ambition is for the UK to have the facilities and regulatory environment in place for commercial spaceflight during this Parliament. My Department is currently working closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to assess and understand the technical requirements, with the aim of announcing the process for spaceport selection later this year.

The 2014 Government Spaceplane Review provided the groundwork for enabling spaceplane operations from the UK, including identifying key criteria for locating a UK spaceport, and identifying potential locations based on these. The Government tested the conclusions of this review through consultation and published its response in March 2015. This confirmed Campbeltown, Glasgow Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland, Llanbedr Airfield in Wales and Newquay in England as potential spaceport locations.

Further information on the Spaceplane review and the Government consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria

Commercial spaceflight is a complex, international, and evolving market. The Government is considering a range of options on next steps that would best deliver our ambition of a spaceport, and the supporting regulatory environment for spaceflight, within this Parliament.

The Government is in discussion with the US Government on ITAR-related issues. However, ITAR applications are not a factor at this stage for potential spaceport locations but may become so if a US spaceplane operator seeks to operate from the UK.

The 2014 Government Spaceplane Review provided the groundwork for enabling spaceplane operations from the UK, including identifying key criteria for locating a UK spaceport, and identifying potential locations based on these. The Government tested the conclusions of this review through consultation and published its response in March 2015. This confirmed Campbeltown, Glasgow Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland, Llanbedr Airfield in Wales and Newquay in England as potential spaceport locations.

Further information on the Spaceplane review and the Government consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria

Commercial spaceflight is a complex, international, and evolving market. The Government is considering a range of options on next steps that would best deliver our ambition of a spaceport, and the supporting regulatory environment for spaceflight, within this Parliament.

The Government is in discussion with the US Government on ITAR-related issues. However, ITAR applications are not a factor at this stage for potential spaceport locations but may become so if a US spaceplane operator seeks to operate from the UK.

The 2014 Government Spaceplane Review provided the groundwork for enabling spaceplane operations from the UK, including identifying key criteria for locating a UK spaceport, and identifying potential locations based on these. The Government tested the conclusions of this review through consultation and published its response in March 2015. This confirmed Campbeltown, Glasgow Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland, Llanbedr Airfield in Wales and Newquay in England as potential spaceport locations.

Further information on the Spaceplane review and the Government consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria

Commercial spaceflight is a complex, international, and evolving market. The Government is considering a range of options on next steps that would best deliver our ambition of a spaceport, and the supporting regulatory environment for spaceflight, within this Parliament.

The Government is in discussion with the US Government on ITAR-related issues. However, ITAR applications are not a factor at this stage for potential spaceport locations but may become so if a US spaceplane operator seeks to operate from the UK.

The 2014 Government Spaceplane Review provided the groundwork for enabling spaceplane operations from the UK, including identifying key criteria for locating a UK spaceport, and identifying potential locations based on these. The Government tested the conclusions of this review through consultation and published its response in March 2015. This confirmed Campbeltown, Glasgow Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland, Llanbedr Airfield in Wales and Newquay in England as potential spaceport locations.

Further information on the Spaceplane review and the Government consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria

Commercial spaceflight is a complex, international, and evolving market. The Government is considering a range of options on next steps that would best deliver our ambition of a spaceport, and the supporting regulatory environment for spaceflight, within this Parliament.

The Government is in discussion with the US Government on ITAR-related issues. However, ITAR applications are not a factor at this stage for potential spaceport locations but may become so if a US spaceplane operator seeks to operate from the UK.

The Government’s ambition is for a UK spaceport that will be an integral part of Britain’s future in space, providing a focus for regional and international investment, creating new job opportunities, supporting our existing cutting-edge technology companies, and securing UK leadership in an important emerging market.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has studied the potential for horizontal, sub-orbital spaceplane operations from the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-spaceplane-certification-and-operations-uk-government-review.

The Government’s aim now is to create the infrastructure and regulatory environment to operate these innovative technologies safely and commercially, alongside existing civilian and military users.

Following consultation on criteria identified by the CAA for locating a UK spaceport https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria, Llanbedr Airfield, along with Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport and Stornoway, were identified as potential locations for a permanent UK spaceport. RAF Leuchars was identified as a potential temporary facility.

The Government is now focussed on developing a technical specification of requirements to provide potential locations with clarity on the detail of what becoming a UK spaceport would involve. It is critical that we provide as much certainty as possible so that potential locations can assess whether spaceplane operations are both feasible and deliverable.

The United States is recognised as the leading nation on commercial sub-orbital spaceflight, and we are currently seeking input on our work from a number of US-based organisations. We are planning to share our work on the detailed technical requirements with all potential locations from September this year.

The Government’s ambition is for a UK spaceport that will be an integral part of Britain’s future in space, providing a focus for regional and international investment, creating new job opportunities, supporting our existing cutting-edge technology companies, and securing UK leadership in an important emerging market.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has studied the potential for horizontal, sub-orbital spaceplane operations from the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-spaceplane-certification-and-operations-uk-government-review.

The Government’s aim now is to create the infrastructure and regulatory environment to operate these innovative technologies safely and commercially, alongside existing civilian and military users.

Following consultation on criteria identified by the CAA for locating a UK spaceport https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria, Llanbedr Airfield, along with Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport and Stornoway, were identified as potential locations for a permanent UK spaceport. RAF Leuchars was identified as a potential temporary facility.

The Government is now focussed on developing a technical specification of requirements to provide potential locations with clarity on the detail of what becoming a UK spaceport would involve. It is critical that we provide as much certainty as possible so that potential locations can assess whether spaceplane operations are both feasible and deliverable.

The United States is recognised as the leading nation on commercial sub-orbital spaceflight, and we are currently seeking input on our work from a number of US-based organisations. We are planning to share our work on the detailed technical requirements with all potential locations from September this year.

The Government’s ambition is for a UK spaceport that will be an integral part of Britain’s future in space, providing a focus for regional and international investment, creating new job opportunities, supporting our existing cutting-edge technology companies, and securing UK leadership in an important emerging market.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has studied the potential for horizontal, sub-orbital spaceplane operations from the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-spaceplane-certification-and-operations-uk-government-review.

The Government’s aim now is to create the infrastructure and regulatory environment to operate these innovative technologies safely and commercially, alongside existing civilian and military users.

Following consultation on criteria identified by the CAA for locating a UK spaceport https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria, Llanbedr Airfield, along with Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport and Stornoway, were identified as potential locations for a permanent UK spaceport. RAF Leuchars was identified as a potential temporary facility.

The Government is now focussed on developing a technical specification of requirements to provide potential locations with clarity on the detail of what becoming a UK spaceport would involve. It is critical that we provide as much certainty as possible so that potential locations can assess whether spaceplane operations are both feasible and deliverable.

The United States is recognised as the leading nation on commercial sub-orbital spaceflight, and we are currently seeking input on our work from a number of US-based organisations. We are planning to share our work on the detailed technical requirements with all potential locations from September this year.

The Government’s ambition is for a UK spaceport that will be an integral part of Britain’s future in space, providing a focus for regional and international investment, creating new job opportunities, supporting our existing cutting-edge technology companies, and securing UK leadership in an important emerging market.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has studied the potential for horizontal, sub-orbital spaceplane operations from the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-spaceplane-certification-and-operations-uk-government-review.

The Government’s aim now is to create the infrastructure and regulatory environment to operate these innovative technologies safely and commercially, alongside existing civilian and military users.

Following consultation on criteria identified by the CAA for locating a UK spaceport https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria, Llanbedr Airfield, along with Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport and Stornoway, were identified as potential locations for a permanent UK spaceport. RAF Leuchars was identified as a potential temporary facility.

The Government is now focussed on developing a technical specification of requirements to provide potential locations with clarity on the detail of what becoming a UK spaceport would involve. It is critical that we provide as much certainty as possible so that potential locations can assess whether spaceplane operations are both feasible and deliverable.

The United States is recognised as the leading nation on commercial sub-orbital spaceflight, and we are currently seeking input on our work from a number of US-based organisations. We are planning to share our work on the detailed technical requirements with all potential locations from September this year.

The Government’s ambition is for a UK spaceport that will be an integral part of Britain’s future in space, providing a focus for regional and international investment, creating new job opportunities, supporting our existing cutting-edge technology companies, and securing UK leadership in an important emerging market.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has studied the potential for horizontal, sub-orbital spaceplane operations from the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-spaceplane-certification-and-operations-uk-government-review.

The Government’s aim now is to create the infrastructure and regulatory environment to operate these innovative technologies safely and commercially, alongside existing civilian and military users.

Following consultation on criteria identified by the CAA for locating a UK spaceport https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/spaceport-locations-and-criteria, Llanbedr Airfield, along with Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport and Stornoway, were identified as potential locations for a permanent UK spaceport. RAF Leuchars was identified as a potential temporary facility.

The Government is now focussed on developing a technical specification of requirements to provide potential locations with clarity on the detail of what becoming a UK spaceport would involve. It is critical that we provide as much certainty as possible so that potential locations can assess whether spaceplane operations are both feasible and deliverable.

The United States is recognised as the leading nation on commercial sub-orbital spaceflight, and we are currently seeking input on our work from a number of US-based organisations. We are planning to share our work on the detailed technical requirements with all potential locations from September this year.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am glad that Machrihanish is on the shortlist to become the UK’s first spaceport. It is far from any centres of population, it has a 3-km runway

and the facilities of an RAF base, and I believe that it is the ideal candidate. I hope that the Department for Transport will support Machrihanish’s case.