Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Stephen Hammond and Lord Willetts
Mr Willetts
I have visited the company to which my hon. Friend refers, and he mentions an excellent British technology that is securing a lot of private backing. The future of space travel rests much more with commercial businesses now, but I look forward to the day when Major Tim Peake, the British astronaut, makes it into space; I regularly raise the issue of that programme with the head of the European Space Agency.
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con)
Would the Minister expand on how the UK might increase its participation in the European space business development plans?
Mr Willetts
We have specifically identified the space sector in the growth review, and we are committed to a major role for British business in that. Indeed, only last week we celebrated a £110 million satellite order.