Oral Answers to Questions

Cheryl Gillan Excerpts

Thursday 1st December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Frazer (South East Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

9. What representations the Government have received from the science and technology sector on priorities for its negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

[Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) (Con)]

13. What representations the Government has received from the science and technology sector on priorities for its negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

[Dr Tania Mathias (Twickenham) (Con)]

19. What steps he is taking to negotiate the UK’s continued participation in European science and research programmes after the UK has withdrawn from the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Walker]

My hon. and learned Friend is right, and the Government are committed to ensuring a positive outcome for the UK’s life sciences and the pharmaceuticals sector as we exit the European Union. We have welcomed many hundreds of millions of pounds of new investment from Alnylam and GSK, and I can assure her that Ministers in our Department are engaging, and will continue to engage, with the pharma and life sciences industry to ensure that we take the opportunities as well as meet the challenges ahead.

[Mrs Gillan]

In Europe’s largest space innovation competition this year, the UK took the top prize and four major awards. We have been one of the leaders in, and most successful exploiters of, space technology, and it is vital that this support continues. In particular, can the Minister confirm that the European Space Agency is entirely independent and not an EU organisation, and that our membership of and participation in ESA will continue, as will the UK’s involvement in space research?

[Mr Walker]

Absolutely. The UK space industry, in which I understand my right hon. Friend’s husband has played an important part, is a global success story, leveraging our best talent to deliver highly innovative products and services every year. We want a UK space industry that captures 10% of the global market by 2030, creating 100,000 new jobs. The UK will remain a member of the ESA, which is not a part of the EU. The ESA’s next ministerial council is being held in Lucerne today, attended by my hon. Friend the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation.