Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to support future UK spaceflight launches.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government remains committed to making the UK the leading provider of commercial small satellite launch in Europe by 2030, with all the necessary infrastructure and regulations now in place to support this. £50 million has been provided to grow new UK markets for small satellite launch and sub-orbital spaceflight, with £31.5 million helping to establish vertical launch services in Scotland. This includes supporting Orbex to launch from Sutherland and Lockheed Martin to launch from the Shetland Islands. Both launches are expected to take place in 2024, with other spaceports in development across Scotland and in Wales.
The UK Space Agency is now developing the next phase of the UK Spaceflight Programme, subject to HM Treasury approval. In addition, the UK invested £12 million into the next phase of the European Space Agency’s Boost programme at the ESA Council of Ministers 2022, aimed at providing tailored support to national launch companies and related infrastructure.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to help support the space industry in Wales.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government is committed to growing and levelling up the UK space ecosystem. Since 2014, the UK Space Agency has invested over £7 million through its national and European Space Agency programmes to support space companies in Wales develop new and innovative technologies, including Space Forge who have built Wales’s first satellite. In addition, the Agency also invests significantly in academic R&D institutions in Wales, which stimulate and enable industry spin-out companies and applications in other sectors. This includes the £16.5 million investment in the Cardiff University-led SPIRE instrument aboard the ESA science observatory mission Herschel and up to £2.5 million planned funding in the Ariel mission, as part of the £30 million package announced last year.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department is taking steps to help support the (a) establishment and (b) growth of the small satellite manufacturing sector.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government has a long record of supporting the UK satellite manufacturing sector, and the UK space sector now excels in satellite manufacture, which includes some of world’s leading small satellite companies such as SSTL and AAC Clydespace.
Through our £1.8 billion investment in ESA programmes and £1 billion via UK agency this CSR, the Government continues to support R&D work with these and many other companies such as OpenCosmos, Alba Orbital, InSpace Missions, Orbital Astronautics and Space Forge which are developing innovative nano and microsats. The Government further supports the sector through regulatory leadership in small satellite insurance, finance and licensing as part of our aim to become the leading provider of commercial small satellite launch in Europe by 2030. Significant commercial opportunities such as the OneWeb second generation constellation offer potential to further strengthen the UK’s small satellite sector.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department plans to provide to off-grid businesses on increased energy costs.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has announced the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment Scheme, which will provide off-grid businesses and non-domestic consumers using alternative fuels in Great Britain and Northern Ireland with a one-off fixed payment of £150 through electricity suppliers. In addition to the £150, a top up payment will be available for large users of heating oil (kerosene) to take account of their higher usage. These top-up payments will require an application to a delivery body and will be banded based on level of usage.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what additional support his Department plans to make available for off-grid care pubs and hospitality businesses on increased energy costs.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Non-domestic consumers off the gas grid will receive a one-off fixed payment of £150 through electricity suppliers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A top-up payment in addition to the £150 will be available for large users of heating oil (kerosene) in GB and NI to take account of their higher usage. These top-up payments will require an application to a delivery body and will be banded based on level of usage.