Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Willetts and Stephen Hammond

Thursday 14th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Willetts]

I have visited the company to which my hon. Friend refers, and he mentions an excellent British technology that is securing a lot of private backing. The future of space travel rests much more with commercial businesses now, but I look forward to the day when Major Tim Peake, the British astronaut, makes it into space; I regularly raise the issue of that programme with the head of the European Space Agency.

[Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con)]

Would the Minister expand on how the UK might increase its participation in the European space business development plans?

[Mr Willetts]

We have specifically identified the space sector in the growth review, and we are committed to a major role for British business in that. Indeed, only last week we celebrated a £110 million satellite order.