Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the contribution to UK GDP of military space exports; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that his Department's approach to procurement supports the skills required to grow such exports.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The UK has a strong space industry, which was worth over £17.5 billion in income to the UK in 2022 alone. Space exports are valued at £5.9 billion to the UK economy, and although there is no precise figure for military space exports, UK Defence and Security Exports estimates that UK companies are currently competing for exports totalling around £4.4 billion to be delivered between now and 2030, which will continue to grow.
Recognising the importance of the space to the UK's economy, we deliberately develop and retain skills in the UK as part of our space capabilities. For example, through the social value component of our procurement of the SKYNET secure satellite communications programme, which is largely designed and manufactured in the UK. In addition, UK Space Command is developing the UK Space Academy to enhance space training for both Government and industry.
Skills will also be an important theme in the forthcoming plan for the space sector which will be published soon by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in close consultation with Defence.
Asked by: Chris Clarkson (Conservative - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that procurement for the SKYNET enduring capability supports high-skilled jobs in military satellite design.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Skynet programme is currently running a competition to procure up to three Wideband Satellites that are to contain a specified set of technologies that must be UK designed and manufactured. This pass/fail condition will help to secure technological capital and develop the United Kingdom’s space workforce, promoting both the technologies and skills investment in the UK industrial base.
In addition, the social value requirements that feature in all Skynet procurements support our drive to bring new people into the UK space industry, by securing industrial sponsorships of educational schemes and through-life skills development. The MOD is working in close consultation with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on a plan for the space industry that will be published in the coming months. This will increase growth and resilience for this vital part of the economy, generating a demand for additional high-end satellite design skills.