Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Agency on licenses for space flights and the location of spaceports in (a) the UK and (b) Cornwall.

My officials are working closely with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the UK Space Agency to develop the legal framework for the licensing and regulation of spaceports and spaceflight in the UK. The Space Industry Bill, which lays the foundation, received Royal Assent on 15 March 2018. The CAA continue to be involved in the development of the detailed regulations, including licence requirements for spaceports, which we plan to consult on from 2019.

Once the detailed licensing requirements are in place, it will enable any location that thinks it can meet the licensing requirements to apply to become a licenced spaceport or spaceflight operator.