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To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what national preparations have been made for geomagnetic storms, as well as other space weather-related incidents.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what national preparations have been made for geomagnetic storms, as well as other space weather-related incidents.
The Government treats severe space weather, including geomagnetic storms, as a national resilience risk. Preparations include continuous monitoring and forecasting by the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre, cross-Government coordination led by UK Space Agency in BIST, and sector engagement through severe space weather governance groups.
Government is refreshing the National Severe Space Weather Preparedness Strategy to strengthen preparedness, response and recovery arrangements and will publish in due course. Work is also under way with government departments, regulators, industry and international partners to improve impact assessments, contingency planning, exercising and public communications.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the recommendations in the National Audit Office report entitled The UK’s resilience to severe space weather, HC1737, March 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the recommendations in the National Audit Office report entitled The UK’s resilience to severe space weather, HC1737, March 2026.
The Government welcomes the National Audit Office’s report, The UK’s resilience to severe space weather, and recognises the value of its recommendations in strengthening the United Kingdom’s resilience to this national risk. The report identified progress made in improving our forecasting capability and preparedness, while highlighting areas where further work is needed, including governance, defining the level of resilience required, strengthening exercising and response planning, and enhancing engagement with businesses and the public.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology accepts the report’s recommendations in full and will work with the National Audit Office to provide them with updates on the implementation of our response to the recommendations in line with National Audit Office procedures. Of note, is the ongoing review of the UK Severe Space Weather Preparedness Strategy, due this year. The Government remains committed to working across departments, industry, academia and international partners to improve the UK's preparedness for and resilience to severe space weather events.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of preparedness for a Carrington-class event, in particular whether (1) a warning of an event can be received in good time to act, (2) the people receiving the warning can authorise the disconnection of all grid transformers,...
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of preparedness for a Carrington-class event, in particular whether (1) a warning of an event can be received in good time to act, (2) the people receiving the warning can authorise the disconnection of all grid transformers,...
Government works with Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), National Energy System Operator (NESO) and DESNZ to issue early alerts, providing awareness calls as soon as severe activity is suspected and formal storm watches at least 12 hours before impact.
The UK is a global leader in space weather forecasting, MOSWOC deliver 24/7 forecasts to operators, including NESO, enabling timely protective actions.
NESO and industry are developing the Space Weather Industry Protocol to set out how forecasts are received and acted upon to manage electricity system risks.
The Government has robust contingency plans for major disruptions. While no plans exist specifically for a Carrington scale event, any large-scale outage would follow established national arrangements, including public preparedness guidance, Pre-Agreed Written Science (PAWS) scientific advice, and Cabinet Office planning to support access to essential services
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the vulnerability of the United Kingdom's electrical and communications systems to extreme space weather; (2) the strength and distribution of geoelectric fields which would be induced across the UK by a Carrington-class geomagnetic storm; and (3) the impact...
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the vulnerability of the United Kingdom's electrical and communications systems to extreme space weather; (2) the strength and distribution of geoelectric fields which would be induced across the UK by a Carrington-class geomagnetic storm; and (3) the impact...
The Government works with National Energy System Operator (NESO) to assess and prepare for space weather risks to the power grid and telecoms, supported by the Space Weather Impact for Future Electricity System Resilience (SWIFTER) projects will provide an assessment of the probability of impacts. A severe geomagnetic storm could generate uneven geoelectric fields across the UK, with effects possible nationwide depending on geology and grid configuration. Resulting geomagnetically induced currents may disrupt power systems and cause local outages, which could in turn affect telecoms and GNSS based timing.
While no plans exist specifically for a Carrington scale event, any large-scale outage would follow established national arrangements, including public preparedness guidance, Pre-Agreed Written Science (PAWS) scientific advice, and Cabinet Office planning to support access to essential services.
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention the following Machinery of Government change.
I am today announcing that overarching policy and response responsibilities for Severe Space Weather will move from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The...
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention the following Machinery of Government change.
I am today announcing that overarching policy and response responsibilities for Severe Space Weather will move from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The...
My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has made the following statement:
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention the following Machinery of Government change.
I am today announcing that overarching policy and response responsibilities for Severe Space Weather will move from the Department for Energy Security and...
My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has made the following statement:
I am making this statement to bring to the House’s attention the following Machinery of Government change.
I am today announcing that overarching policy and response responsibilities for Severe Space Weather will move from the Department for Energy Security and...
To ask His Majesty's Government in which year space weather was recognised as a risk sufficiently severe to feature in the National Risk Register.
To ask His Majesty's Government in which year space weather was recognised as a risk sufficiently severe to feature in the National Risk Register.
The severe space weather risk was first added to the National Risk Register in the 2012 edition in light of lessons from the 2010 Iceland volcanic eruptions.
All risks in the National Risk Register, including those related to severe space weather, are kept under review to ensure that they are the most appropriate scenarios to inform emergency preparedness and resilience activity.
Motion that this House has considered the impact of space weather on the UK. Agreed to on question.
Motion that this House has considered the impact of space weather on the UK. Agreed to on question.
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the impact of space weather on the UK.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. There are debates in this House that deal with the visible challenges of our time, such as conflict, inflation and public services, and then...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the impact of space weather on the UK.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. There are debates in this House that deal with the visible challenges of our time, such as conflict, inflation and public services, and then...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner, and I thank the hon. Member for Solihull West and Shirley (Dr Shastri-Hurst) for securing this important debate. Space weather has profound effects on our planet, particularly now that we rely so heavily on technology that can be affected...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Turner, and I thank the hon. Member for Solihull West and Shirley (Dr Shastri-Hurst) for securing this important debate. Space weather has profound effects on our planet, particularly now that we rely so heavily on technology that can be affected...
It is a delight to see you in your place, Mr Turner, and to take part in this debate.
Given the weather we have been having, it is somewhat ironic that we are worrying about space weather. People sometimes think the sun is a wonderful thing and a delight when it...
It is a delight to see you in your place, Mr Turner, and to take part in this debate.
Given the weather we have been having, it is somewhat ironic that we are worrying about space weather. People sometimes think the sun is a wonderful thing and a delight when it...
T5
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Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform):
This Secretary of State thinks it is a good idea to fill our fields with solar panels, at a cost of billions of pounds to the British taxpayer. I hate to break it to him, but solar panels rely on sunshine, so why is he now supporting a project to block out the sunshine?
T5
.
Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform):
This Secretary of State thinks it is a good idea to fill our fields with solar panels, at a cost of billions of pounds to the British taxpayer. I hate to break it to him, but solar panels rely on sunshine, so why is he now supporting a project to block out the sunshine?
The hon. Gentleman never ceases to amaze me, and not in a good way. Reform has made its decision; I am not sure what the Conservatives’ position is. Cheap, clean, home-grown power is the answer for Britain, because it gives us energy security and frees us from the petrostates and dictators. We are in favour of it; Reform is against it. Goodness knows where the Conservative party is.
The hon. Gentleman never ceases to amaze me, and not in a good way. Reform has made its decision; I am not sure what the Conservatives’ position is. Cheap, clean, home-grown power is the answer for Britain, because it gives us energy security and frees us from the petrostates and dictators. We are in favour of it; Reform is against it. Goodness knows where the Conservative party is.
The hon. Gentleman never ceases to amaze me, and not in a good way. Reform has made its decision; I am not sure what the Conservatives’ position is. Cheap, clean, home-grown power is the answer for Britain, because it gives us energy security and frees us from the petrostates and dictators. We are in favour of it; Reform is against it. Goodness knows where the Conservative party is.
T5
.
Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform):
This Secretary of State thinks it is a good idea to fill our fields with solar panels, at a cost of billions of pounds to the British taxpayer. I hate to break it to him, but solar panels rely on sunshine, so why is he now supporting a project to block out the sunshine?
As my hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) said, the Government seem to have a three-point plan. Point one is to cover farmland in solar panels, and point two is to block out the sun. What is point three?
As my hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) said, the Government seem to have a three-point plan. Point one is to cover farmland in solar panels, and point two is to block out the sun. What is point three?
What is the point of the hon. Gentleman’s party?
What is the point of the hon. Gentleman’s party?
What is the point of the hon. Gentleman’s party?
As my hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) said, the Government seem to have a three-point plan. Point one is to cover farmland in solar panels, and point two is to block out the sun. What is point three?
In the 1970s, global warmists wanted to put black dust on the Arctic to block the sun. Now the Minister wants to put black dust on clouds to block the sun again. Is his plan not bonkers? £50 million of taxpayer’s money has been spent, which will only put up energy prices even further.
In the 1970s, global warmists wanted to put black dust on the Arctic to block the sun. Now the Minister wants to put black dust on clouds to block the sun again. Is his plan not bonkers? £50 million of taxpayer’s money has been spent, which will only put up energy prices even further.
This is like conspiracy theories gone mad. I feel like we have entered a whacky world. Let us keep our eyes on the prize. As a country, we are vulnerable because of our exposure to fossil fuels. This Government have one mission alone: to get clean, home-grown power, so that we take back control.
This is like conspiracy theories gone mad. I feel like we have entered a whacky world. Let us keep our eyes on the prize. As a country, we are vulnerable because of our exposure to fossil fuels. This Government have one mission alone: to get clean, home-grown power, so that we take back control.
This is like conspiracy theories gone mad. I feel like we have entered a whacky world. Let us keep our eyes on the prize. As a country, we are vulnerable because of our exposure to fossil fuels. This Government have one mission alone: to get clean, home-grown power, so that we take back control.
In the 1970s, global warmists wanted to put black dust on the Arctic to block the sun. Now the Minister wants to put black dust on clouds to block the sun again. Is his plan not bonkers? £50 million of taxpayer’s money has been spent, which will only put up energy prices even further.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has he made of potential opportunities for research into (a) space weather and (b) its consequences through Horizon Europe.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has he made of potential opportunities for research into (a) space weather and (b) its consequences through Horizon Europe.
Space research in Horizon Europe is covered under Pillar 2, in the cluster ‘Digital, Industry and Space’. DSIT encourages UK researchers to take part in the available funding opportunities to support international cooperation.
The EU has restricted the participation of associated countries in a small part of the programme, which includes some calls focused on space technology. DSIT is working constructively with the EU to address these restrictions. We do not pay for areas in which we do not participate.
Making Horizon Europe association a success is DSIT’s priority and DSIT is working to boost UK participation and remove barriers to international R&D collaborations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Horizon Europe on UK-based research into (a) space weather and (b) its consequences since July 2024.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with Horizon Europe on UK-based research into (a) space weather and (b) its consequences since July 2024.
Space research in Horizon Europe is covered under Pillar 2, in the cluster ‘Digital, Industry and Space’. DSIT encourages UK researchers to take part in the available funding opportunities to support international cooperation.
The EU has restricted the participation of associated countries in a small part of the programme, which includes some calls focused on space technology. DSIT is working constructively with the EU to address these restrictions. We do not pay for areas in which we do not participate.
Making Horizon Europe association a success is DSIT’s priority and DSIT is working to boost UK participation and remove barriers to international R&D collaborations.