HC Deb 26 November 1987 vol 123 cc254-5W
Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in what way Her Majesty's Government have withdrawn from, or come to disagree with, the guidance and the objectives for the European Space Agency agreed by the United Kingdom and all other members unanimously in resolution 1 on 31 January 1985 in Rome.

Mr. Butcher

At Rome the United Kingdom was prepared to back a well-balanced ESA programme. At The Hague we were faced with an unbalanced programme, including a very expensive Hermes proposal not accepted at Rome, and a real risk that user programmes, which have always been our major interest, would suffer.

Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations were undertaken with British Aerospace and those other British companies cooperating with the European Space Agency prior to Her Majesty's Government's decision on their contribution to the agency announced at The Hague; and what consultation and advice Her Majesty's Government have provided since that announcement to these companies.

Mr. Butcher

Prior to the ministerial meeting at The Hague, the British national space centre was in regular contact with British Aerospace and other United Kingdom companies primarily involved in European Space Agency activities. Since the meeting these companies have been debriefed on the outcome, and, in consultation with industry, we shall shortly be taking a fresh look at United Kingdom civil space activities, both nationally and in ESA.

Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what financial contribution Her Majesty's Government are intending to make to the European Space

1983 1984 1985 1986
United Kingdom contribution
Million ecu 110.7 122.2 124.0 125.5
Million pounds 61.6 70.4 73.5 71.8
Total members' contributions
Million ecu 683.0 765.2 859.9 957.8
Million pounds 380.1 440.7 509.5 548.1
United Kingdom contributions as percentage of total members' contributions 16.2 16.0 14.4 13.1
Total ESA expenditure (including other income)
Million ecu 697.9 927.8 923.8 1,067.3
Million pounds 388.3 534.3 547.4 610.8
United Kingdom contributions as percentage of total expenditure 15.9 13.2 13.4 11.8

For future years, our contributions to the ESA mandatory programmes (the general budget and the science programme) will be at a level based on relative GNP, which is fixed at 16.51 per cent, for 1988. Our overall level of contributions will depend on the levels at which we choose to subscribe to future optional programmes. (If we maintain our overall contribution to ESA at around its current level, and if other member states go ahead with the agency's current proposals, the United Kingdom's share of total expenditure will decline to around 5 per cent, by 1992).

Sir Peter Emery

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what future benefits in detail Her Majesty's Government envisage will now come to the United Kingdom from the work of the European Space Agency.

Mr. Butcher

We shall continue to play our part in the mandatory programmes which will benefit both our space science community and industry, through the technology programme of the general budget. On the optional programmes, as in the past we shall continue to be selective and look for industrial, technological and commercial benefits to the United Kingdom. Consequently, I shall be discussing with industry the United Kingdom's interest not only in the Columbus and Ariane V programmes, which were discussed at The Hague, but in the future communication and earth observation programmes of ESA.