With the leave of the House, I would like to thank all Members of this House for attending. For those who attended Second Reading, I am pleased that we had fewer space-related puns today, although it was a very humorous—and, beneath the humour, very serious—debate that went on for some...

With the leave of the House, I would like to thank all Members of this House for attending. For those who attended Second Reading, I am pleased that we had fewer space-related puns today, although it was a very humorous—and, beneath the humour, very serious—debate that went on for some...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his debut at the Dispatch Box. I must anecdotally mention that, when I was first elected, we had a visit from a space shuttle crew. Having real spacemen in Parliament was terribly exciting.

I want to press my hon. Friend on a procedural point. He...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his debut at the Dispatch Box. I must anecdotally mention that, when I was first elected, we had a visit from a space shuttle crew. Having real spacemen in Parliament was terribly exciting.

I want to press my hon. Friend on a procedural point. He...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. With her permission, I will make sure that I or another Minister writes to her. As she correctly pointed out, Shetland remains very important in the space space, and the Bill incorporates all four corners of our great Union.

I was speaking...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. With her permission, I will make sure that I or another Minister writes to her. As she correctly pointed out, Shetland remains very important in the space space, and the Bill incorporates all four corners of our great Union.

I was speaking...

I thank my hon. Friend. Like, I am sure, many colleagues in the House, when I was a child I aspired to be an astronaut. Unfortunately, I was not able to achieve that ambition, but I hope that in today’s debate we will inspire the next generation to ask themselves...

I thank my hon. Friend. Like, I am sure, many colleagues in the House, when I was a child I aspired to be an astronaut. Unfortunately, I was not able to achieve that ambition, but I hope that in today’s debate we will inspire the next generation to ask themselves...

Buzz Lightyear.

Buzz Lightyear.

The next Buzz Lightyear or equivalent in the years to come. We are at the forefront of a cutting-edge industry and are world leaders in many parts of it. I appeal to all colleagues, whenever they go to technical colleges, universities or schools in their constituencies, to inspire that generation...

The next Buzz Lightyear or equivalent in the years to come. We are at the forefront of a cutting-edge industry and are world leaders in many parts of it. I appeal to all colleagues, whenever they go to technical colleges, universities or schools in their constituencies, to inspire that generation...

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Lord) for taking this important Bill through the House. I applaud him on his excellent speech. Given what the shadow Minister has said, I am pleased to confirm that my hon. Friend has cross-party support for the Bill.

From the contributions...

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Lord) for taking this important Bill through the House. I applaud him on his excellent speech. Given what the shadow Minister has said, I am pleased to confirm that my hon. Friend has cross-party support for the Bill.

From the contributions...

My hon. Friend is making a great speech, and I congratulate him on his introduction to the Dispatch Box. Does he agree that, as I said earlier, the space industry is an excellent place for women and girls to consider, and does he see any particular area of the industry...

My hon. Friend is making a great speech, and I congratulate him on his introduction to the Dispatch Box. Does he agree that, as I said earlier, the space industry is an excellent place for women and girls to consider, and does he see any particular area of the industry...

It is a pleasure to speak on this Bill, for which I commend the hon. Member for Woking (Mr Lord).

As others have said, private companies need a spaceflight operator licence, as set out in the Space Industry Act 2018, before they can operate from the UK. I am pleased to...

It is a pleasure to speak on this Bill, for which I commend the hon. Member for Woking (Mr Lord).

As others have said, private companies need a spaceflight operator licence, as set out in the Space Industry Act 2018, before they can operate from the UK. I am pleased to...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I can confirm that the Bill will set us on par with the United States and France, our friends and probably our main competitors in this important arena. The space industry is already worth £17.5 billion a year, and it is...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I can confirm that the Bill will set us on par with the United States and France, our friends and probably our main competitors in this important arena. The space industry is already worth £17.5 billion a year, and it is...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on Third Reading of his Bill, which will make a huge difference to the space industry. Does he agree that it is imperative, as we move through the 21st century, that we encourage more women and girls to consider taking up the skills and employment...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on Third Reading of his Bill, which will make a huge difference to the space industry. Does he agree that it is imperative, as we move through the 21st century, that we encourage more women and girls to consider taking up the skills and employment...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

Clause 1(a) is the central and crucial provision of the Bill, so I shall briefly explain its purpose and why it is necessary. Before a company can operate a satellite in orbit or carry out a launch mission...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.

Clause 1(a) is the central and crucial provision of the Bill, so I shall briefly explain its purpose and why it is necessary. Before a company can operate a satellite in orbit or carry out a launch mission...

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. The Bill will help provide certainty for our space industry for many years to come. Of course, we need all the talent that we can provide in this country. I completely agree that we want more girls going into science, technology, engineering and...

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. The Bill will help provide certainty for our space industry for many years to come. Of course, we need all the talent that we can provide in this country. I completely agree that we want more girls going into science, technology, engineering and...

Report stage. Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed.

Report stage. Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his Bill. Will he confirm that it will give the UK a real competitive advantage in the space industry? It seems to me that it will.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his Bill. Will he confirm that it will give the UK a real competitive advantage in the space industry? It seems to me that it will.

Second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Public Bill Committee.

Second reading. Agreed to on question. Bill committed to a Public Bill Committee.

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

I am delighted to be here to introduce a Bill that will help to support our thriving and dynamic space sector. It will amend section 12(2) of the Space Industry Act 2018 to make clear in legislation that...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.

I am delighted to be here to introduce a Bill that will help to support our thriving and dynamic space sector. It will amend section 12(2) of the Space Industry Act 2018 to make clear in legislation that...

I rise to speak in support of the Bill in my capacity as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for space. Before I get to the thrust of my speech, I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. My interests are both financial...

I rise to speak in support of the Bill in my capacity as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for space. Before I get to the thrust of my speech, I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. My interests are both financial...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Lord) on bringing forward this private Member’s Bill, which I rise in support of. Following my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier), I will take us from the City of London, on which he made some brilliant...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr Lord) on bringing forward this private Member’s Bill, which I rise in support of. Following my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier), I will take us from the City of London, on which he made some brilliant...

To reinforce that point, it is a rather peculiar thing about the British that we tend to look at failure as a problem. Exactly this type of thing happened with the launch of the SpaceX Starship. The minute it cleared the pad, the mission had been entirely successful. When that...

To reinforce that point, it is a rather peculiar thing about the British that we tend to look at failure as a problem. Exactly this type of thing happened with the launch of the SpaceX Starship. The minute it cleared the pad, the mission had been entirely successful. When that...