§ 12. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on British co-operation 1542 in the European Space Research Organisation.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsAt the European Space Conference in November we stated our intention to continue to collaborate in European space research for a further programme period up to 1974. The budget adopted for 1969–71 represents a rate of growth of 6 per cent. per annum for E.S.R.O. over the 1968 level. No country has yet made any commitment on the rate of expenditure after 1971. In addition to the scientific programme, the Government have agreed to contribute this year to studies in E.S.R.O. leading to economic and technical assessments of applications satellites.
§ Mr. MartenCan the hon. Lady say whether the Government are generally in favour of the proposition of a space observatory? Secondly, are they in favour of the general proposition that E.S.R.O. should devote part of its time to application satellites as well as to purely scientific satellites?
§ Mrs. WilliamsIt is difficult to give a clear answer to both parts of that question while studies are going on, as the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, but on the second part of the question I would say that we have indicated our interest, in principle, in application satellites. We have made it clear that we can finance studies this year, and in the light of these studies we shall make a decision.