The Scottish Affairs Committee today calls for evidence as it
launches a new inquiry considering Scotland’s space sector.
According to UK Government figures, there are more than 180 space
companies in Scotland, supporting over 8,500 jobs. The sector is
growing rapidly, with industry income increasing by 30 per cent
between 2018 and 2021.
In the new inquiry, MPs on the cross-party Committee will examine
the space sector’s contribution to Scotland’s economy, the key
opportunities and challenges for the Scottish space sector in the
coming years, and how it compares internationally.
The Committee is also interested in exploring opportunities for
international collaboration, whether the UK and Scottish
Governments’ space strategies have the right priorities, what
types of policies could foster growth and success, and the role
that the governments both play in supporting the establishment of
Scottish spaceports and helping them to succeed.
Academics, experts and interested parties are invited to submit
written evidence to the inquiry by Wednesday 13 September.
Commenting on the new inquiry, Scottish Affairs Committee
Chair, MP,
said:
“Today we launch a new inquiry into Scotland’s space sector, the
role it plays in our economy, and how the developments made here
in Scotland compare internationally. This is already a
brilliantly successful sector for Scotland, and we’d like to hear
about the main opportunities and challenges ahead, and whether
the UK and Scottish Governments have the right priorities and
policies to maximise the true potential of the groundbreaking
work being completed here.
“We’d encourage all those with expertise in this important area
to submit evidence to our inquiry and look forward to taking oral
evidence on this fascinating area soon.”
Terms of reference
The Committee invites written submissions by
23:55 on Wednesday 13 September 2023. These should be focused
on, but not limited to:
- What contribution does the space sector make to Scotland’s
economy?
- What are the key opportunities and challenges for the
Scottish space sector in the coming years?
- In which specific areas of the space industry is Scotland’s
sector well-placed to succeed?
- How does Scotland’s space sector compare with those of its
international counterparts?
- What opportunities does the Scottish space sector have for
international collaboration?
- To what degree do the UK and Scottish Governments’ space
strategies have the right priorities for the Scottish space
sector?
- What policies can the UK Government use to foster growth and
success in the Scottish space sector, both ‘upstream’ and
‘downstream’?
- How can the UK and Scottish Governments help to provide
Scotland’s space sector with the skilled workforce it needs?
- What can the UK and Scottish Governments do to support the
establishment of Scottish spaceports and help them to succeed?
