Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has (a) made contingency plans and (b) undertaken cross-government exercises to respond to potential (i) significant deterioration in and (ii) complete loss of (A) satellite capability and (B) the operational use of space.

The Department for Science Innovation and Technology recently launched its Crisis Response Team to enable transition of responsibilities from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero following the Machinery of Government change that led to the formation of these Departments. The Department and the UK Space Agency has established an Emergency Response Framework (ERF) that sets out cross-Government responsibilities in the event of the whole range of potential catastrophic incidents that could be encountered in space. This Framework connects to the Departmental Crisis Response capability through an escalation process, dependent on the scale, depth and duration of an event. The ERF has been exercised and updated regularly, following several real-time incidents experienced this year including Space Weather events. The plans and processes will continue to be tested and reviewed in response to evolving threats and hazards in the sector.