§ 52. Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's programme for sponsoring and encouraging British participation in space research.
§ Mr. CroslandHer Majesty's Government have sponsored scientific space research since 1957. Facilities for experiments in space are provided through rocket firings from Woomera, through the Aerial satellites launched in the Anglo-United States satellite programme, and through United Kingdom participation in the European Space Research Organisation. Grants are made to university scientists to assist them in financing approved experiments for inclusion in these programmes. Expenditure in the current year is just over £2 million, of which nearly half is the United Kingdom contribution to E.S.R.O.
The programme is an expanding one. A third Aerial satellite, the first to be constructed in this country, is scheduled to be launched in 1967 and the contract for the first E.S.R.O. satellite has been awarded to a British firm.