Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) clarity, (b) consistency and (c) timeliness of licensing assessments of launch and return activities for experimental satellites and spacecraft by the Civil Aviation Authority on the investment decisions of small space (i) start-ups and (ii) other businesses in the UK space sector.

The length of time that the Civil Aviation Authority, the independent regulator, takes for a licence application assessment is predicated on the heritage and maturity of the technology, and the quality of information provided by the applicant. The Government has implemented the Regulatory Innovation Office, which will reduce red tape and recognises the innovative technology developments in the space sector. Working alongside the CAA, we will ensure we have legislation that is effective and globally competitive, through the use of a Regulatory Sandbox and a Post Implementation Review of the Space Industry Regulations 2021, commencing in January 2025.