Business of the House

Steve Double Excerpts

Thursday 13th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising that important issue, in a timely week. She will know that the Government have focused very much on occupational health, on halving the disability employment gap and on ensuring that the welfare state and disability benefits, in particular, are very much more focused on mental health issues. So much of this is about prevention and wellbeing, and learning the lessons that we have learnt throughout the pandemic. I thank her for raising these issues and I will raise them with the Department of Health and Social Care.

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

On Tuesday evening, I had the huge privilege of being at Cornwall Airport Newquay for the arrival of Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl, the Boeing 747 converted for satellite launch. That is a major step forward towards fulfilling our ambition of launching the first satellites from UK soil—indeed, from European soil—later this year. This is a huge step forward in fulfilling our dream and it has the great opportunity to attract investment, economic growth and jobs of the future to Cornwall. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all those involved in making this dream a reality? May we have a statement on the Government’s ambitions and plans to support the UK space industry in the future?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue and I join him in congratulating everyone who made that happen. I also thank him because he has been a doughty champion for this incredible growth sector in his county. We have a thriving sector, which is globally respected; about 47,000 jobs have been created in recent years to support it. Clearly, it is going to account for a growing number of exports as well. It is very exciting and I will certainly encourage the relevant Secretary of State to come to update the House.