Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on supporting the space-sector in delivering the ambitions set out in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, published on 23 June 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade are working closely to deliver the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan for space. Ministers with responsibility for space in both departments have discussed progress at the Space Ministerial Forum. Government has also established the Space Industry Advisory Group, which met on 20 April and was chaired by Minister Lloyd. Delivery is progressing, including cross-government action to accelerate capability in priority subsectors, investment to boost commercialisation and scale-up, and the UK’s largest ever investment in ESA at the Council of Ministers 2025. The Department for Business and Trade will lead a space trade mission to Japan in early July to support growth through exports, supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, who will lead bilateral engagement with Japanese Government. Departments will continue working together to deliver the Plan and wider Industrial Strategy for the UK space sector.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how her Department prioritises British businesses in its procurement of space sector contracts.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to supporting high-growth British space businesses. The new Procurement Act introduces a simpler and more transparent system that supports small businesses and enables contracting authorities to recognise quality and innovation in UK products.
Government procurement plays an important role in helping British space companies scale in emerging technology areas. Through the Unlocking Space programme, DSIT is supporting departments to explore opportunities to trial space-enabled solutions, enabling government to act as an anchor customer.
The Government continues to explore a wider range of commercial mechanisms to support British space companies as technologies mature and markets develop.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what targets her Department has set for improving the UK’s position in the global space economy.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK has a strong position in the global space economy that the government is committed to maintaining. Building on our countries space heritage and deep pool of skilled talent, supportive regulation, and world-leading financial systems, the UK captures around 5% of the global market, leads Europe in private investment, and ranks third globally for private space company investment. Through our One-Government approach, we are developing capability in priority space subsectors where the UK can grow, compete, and lead internationally, supporting economic growth and competitiveness while strengthening national security and resilience.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Defence on the dual use of space-sector technologies.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers regularly discuss the delivery of a co-ordinated One-Government approach to space with counterparts in Defence and other Departments. As part of this the Department works closely with the National Security and Defence space community across Government to align support for space technology development. A significant portion of UK Space Agency funding already supports dual-use space technologies and, through a One-Government approach, the Department works to ensure those investments are targeting space technologies that deliver not just growth for the UK economy, but also help deliver space capability for our National Security and Defence users. The Unlocking Space programme works with partners across government to identify priority capability gaps, strengthen demand signalling, and support adoption of space-enabled solutions across public and commercial markets.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the implementation of the active debris removal mission.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is actively supporting the UK’s first Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission, recognising its importance for space sustainability and economic growth.
The UK Space Agency has launched a £75.6m procurement to deliver this mission, which will remove two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit using advanced robotic and autonomous navigation technologies.
The ADR procurement process is currently live.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help support UK-based businesses that work on orbit (a) servicing and (b) assembly.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) has been identified as one of five National Space Capabilities, reflecting its strategic importance for economic growth, national security, and space sustainability.
To date, the Government has supported the ISAM sector through national and European Space Agency programmes, such as the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), where £5.5m in funding is developing new technologies including capture mechanisms for unprepared satellites, long-range RADAR, and in-orbit refuelling interfaces.
Work is underway to develop a cross-government delivery plan that will support UK-based businesses and provide longer term certainty. Further details will be published in 2026.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his planned timetable is for publishing the Active Debris Removal Programme.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Active Debris Removal (ADR) is a core part of in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing capabilities to support safe, secure and sustainable access to space. The Government recently awarded £4.7 million to Astroscale and ClearSpace to understand the risks and costs of an ADR mission to rendezvous with and deorbit two UK-licenced satellites. The UK Space Agency is developing the business case for Phase 3 of the ADR programme which, if successful, will be published for tender in mid-2025 to prepare for mission launch in 2028. Any future phase will be subject to funding decisions which will be taken through the Spending Review.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to limit the liability of licenced commercial spaceflight operators.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Guidance already specifies that all spaceflight operator licences issued under the Space Industry Act 2018 limit an operator’s liability. This Government will look at opportunities to amend Section 12(2) of the Act to make this clear in legislation under Section 36 of the Act.