§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the British companies carrying out work in connection with the European Space Agency in order of the value of the contract concerned.
§ Mr. LeighOn the basis of the most recent information available, the total value of contracts awarded by the European Space Agency—ESA—to United Kingdom companies in the three years between 1989 and 1991 amounted to the equivalent of 323,194,715 ecu—European currency units. More than 100 United Kingdom companies received contracts from ESA in this period and the following table lists those who were awarded contracts with a total value of more than 850,000 ecu.
Value of contracts awarded by the European Space Agency to United Kingdom companies 1989–91 Company Value ('000 ecu) British Aerospace 126,815 Matra Marconi Space UK 56,438 Serco Ltd. 19,077 Logica Ltd. 11,260 Avica 7,921 Marcol 6,491 Vega Space Systems 5,596 Royal Aerospace Establishment 4,769 Sira Ltd. 4,388 Science Systems 4,244 IGG Component Technology 3,629 Dowty Electronics Ltd. 2,658 Spur Electron Ltd. 2,324 GEC Research Ltd. 2,296 Satellites International Ltd. 2,158 Plessey Ltd. 1,975 STC Technology 1,875 ERA Technology 1,714 Rutherford Appleton Laboratory 1,653 European Space Tribology Lab 1,590 English Electric Valve Co. 1,560 Pilkington 1,521 Ferranti Ltd. 1,356 Martin Baker Aircraft Co. 962 Brunel University 959 COM Dev Europe 870 Other UK companies 44,097 Total 323,195
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on United Kingdom participation in the European Space Agency.
§ Mr. LeighThe United Kingdom will continue to participate in the European Space Agency on the present basis. Our most recent initiative within the agency's activities, which I announced on 26 November, 1992,Official Report, columns 818–19, has been to take a major share in a new earth observation programme, Envisat-1, approved by European Space Agency Ministers at their meeting in Granada on 9 and 10 November, 1992.