Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department plans to allocate the two million pounds for assessing options for horizontal spaceports in the UK.

As part of Farnborough International Airshow on 15th August 2018, the UK Space Agency announced £2m of funding in support of horizontal spaceflight and spaceports, to further accelerate this early-stage market. The UK Space Agency is working closely with colleagues from several government departments, including the Scotland Office, to finalise the details of this scheme.

We must, of course, ensure that any use of public funds provides value for money and will benefit the UK. We plan to make further announcements, subject to business case, later in 2018.