Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proposals the Government has put forward in the UN conference on Disarmament to control the (a) weaponisation and (b) militarisation of outer space.

HMG is committed to maintaining outer space as a peaceful, safe, and stable environment vital for our social, economic and scientific development. Technological developments in areas such as anti-satellite missiles and jamming of navigational systems increase the threats to space systems both from the ground and in space. The UK therefore proposed a new resolution on 'Reducing Space Threats Through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours' which was adopted in the UN Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) and then by the General Assembly on 7 December 2020, with the support of 164 countries. This resolution calls on all UN member states to study existing and potential threats and security risks to space systems and share their ideas on norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours to reduce the risks of misunderstanding and miscalculation. The UN Secretary General will produce a report for further discussion by Member States.