HC Deb 02 March 2004 vol 418 c793W
Lembit Öpik

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will maintain the level of service provided by the(a) National Near Earth Object Information Centre and (b) the Spaceguard Centre. [155368]

Ms Hewitt

The British National Space Centre (BNSC) has contributed funding to the setting up and maintenance of the Near Earth Object (NEO) Information Centre based at the National Space Science Centre in Leicester. It provides information to the public and monitors NEO activity. This follows the recommendations of the Near Earth Object Task Force Report. The BNSC contract expires on 31 December 2004. The Government has not contributed funding to the Space Guard Centre in the UK.