Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 5 October 2020 to Written Question 96957, for what reasons the Government decided that the EU’s offer on Galileo did not meet the UK’s security and industrial requirements.

The UK and the EU discussed the Galileo programme during the Withdrawal Agreement negotiations. The EU’s offer on Galileo did not meet the UK’s security and industrial requirements.

The UK does not have a level of access to Galileo that would enable us to assure the system and use it for purposes such as defence and security. Our position remains unchanged and as such, the UK is not seeking to continue participation in Galileo.

The UK Space Agency is exploring alternative ways to deliver vital satellite navigation services to the UK through the new Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Programme.