Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what discussions he has had with aerospace companies on the development of sites suitable for static-fire testing of heavy-lift rocket engines and launch vehicle stages.

The UK is building a competitive launch sector that supports growth, reindustrialisation and national security. Testing infrastructure is also an important part of the launch ecosystem. The UK has facilities supporting rocket engine testing and their suitability for heavy lift vehicles depends on the operators’ technical or safety requirements. The Government continues to engage with industry on strengthening the UK’s launch ecosystem, including ways to develop infrastructure in the UK at new or existing sites such as RAF Spadeadam. Any proposal for public investment would be assessed against strategic priorities, deliverability and value for taxpayers.