§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with EEC member countries with regard to Great Britain's future rôle in post-Apollo development; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow, East (Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson) on 22nd October 1973. As part of the agreement reached at the meeting of the European Space Conference (ESC) held in Brussels on 31st July 1973, it was established that Europe's contribution to the post-Apollo18W programme should take the form of developing the Space-Lab, to which the United Kingdom is to contribute 6.3 per cent. of the total costs.
The European Space Conference is the recognised forum for discussion of European space matters, and hence for establishing the response to the American invitation to participate in the post-Apollo programme. The ESC membership is not identical with that of the EEC but includes all the EEC member States except Ireland and Luxembourg.