Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still appoint directors to the board of OneWeb.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government currently appoints three non-executive directors to OneWeb’s board. Following completion of the proposed OneWeb – Eutelsat merger, Government would continue to be represented on the board of the combined business.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of being a shareholder in Eutelsat together with the government of China.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The China Investment Corporation (CIC) has a longstanding passive shareholding in Eutelsat of less than 4% that would be further diluted by the merger between Eutelsat and OneWeb. The CIC has never been represented on Eutelsat’s Board nor has it had access to any privileged information on Eutelsat or OneWeb’s operations.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many OneWeb launches have taken place since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the halting of launches by the Russian Soyuz; from what locations they were launched; and using what launch vehicle.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the time of writing, no launches of OneWeb satellites have taken place since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The next launch is currently scheduled for 23 October 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in India, using a Launch Vehicle Mark 3 developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current value of their interest in OneWeb.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The value of the Government’s holding in OneWeb as at 31 March 2022 is £376m which is accounted for under the equity method of accounting and represents the latest point at which the Government valued the investment. The original equity investment was for £374m.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their sale of interest in OneWeb to Eutelsat of France was approved under the National Security and Investment Act 2021.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The merger between OneWeb and Eutelsat is subject to UK and international regulatory approvals, including under the National Security and Investment Act 2021. The Government does not comment on individual cases.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for OneWeb to obtain an alternative to the Russian Soyuz launch facility.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Following successful conversations earlier this year, OneWeb recently announced agreements with SpaceX and New Space India to launch satellites from alternative launch facilities in lieu of planned (now cancelled) Soyuz launches.
These launches are subject to the relevant regulatory clearances.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 4 April (HL7258), how many of OneWeb’s satellites have been abandoned in Kazakhstan following the decision to suspend use of Russian Soyuz launch vehicles; what is their combined value; and what plans they have to seek their return.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This information is commercially confidential and is a matter for the company.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many satellite launches have been achieved by communications company OneWeb, and how does this number compare with the targeted number.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since February 2019, OneWeb has launched 66% of its planned constellation over 13 successful launches. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, OneWeb suspended the remaining six launches from Baikonur.
Following successful conversations earlier this year, OneWeb announced plans for future launches with SpaceX and New Space India.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 25 January (HL5301), whether OneWeb is still using Russian facilities for its launches after Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and how much is paid (1) directly, or (2) indirectly, to Russian organisations in respect of each launch.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Board of OneWeb voted on 3 March to suspend all launches from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. OneWeb’s launch service provider, Arianespace, announced on 4 March it was suspending the use of Russian Soyuz launch vehicles.
Details of OneWeb’s launch agreements with Arianespace are commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 29 July (HL2255), whether the Space Board Positioning Navigation and Timing programme has now reported on the options for the development of these services to the UK; and if not, when the report is anticipated.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Programme has now reported on the options for improving the resilience of space-based PNT services, and the Government is considering the findings to determine the next steps as part of the business planning process.