HL Deb 20 December 1995 vol 567 cc163-4WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in order to satisfy Article 1 of the Space Treaty, all information obtained from satellites should be made universally available.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie

Article 1 of the Treaty Principals Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (1968) provides that space shall be the province of all mankind, and for freedom of exploration, access to celestial bodies and scientific investigation, but not for universal availability of information from satellites. The Government work actively to facilitate international co-operation in space, for example in space science, through the European Space Agency and other international programmes.

Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they do not consider Article 1 of the Space Treaty restrictive on activities in space (Lord Fraser of Carmyllie's Answer, H.L. Deb., WA 172), given that military intelligence satellites are not intended to promote the interests of mankind (as the treaty requires), but rather those of particular states.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie

In the Government's view the use of satellites for gathering of military intelligence does fall within the scope of the treaty.