Memorandum 31
Submission from the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office
1. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's
interest in UK space policy is focused on ensuring that the UK's
international obligations on space are maintained, promoting UK
excellence in space science and technology, and ensuring EU space
programmes meet UK objectives.
2. The FCO is a consulting partner in the
British National Space Centre (BNSC). In that capacity its essential
role is to facilitate and support BNSC on the international aspects
of space policy and to ensure consistency between space policy
and UK foreign policy. This includes working with BNSC on the
discussion of space issues in international fora, including
the European Union, the European Space Agency (in particular its
International Relations Committee) and the United Nations, for
example the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS),
where the FCO has specific responsibility for the Legal Sub-Committee.
3. The FCO does not provide any funding
for space research or space-related activities except in the area
of encouraging international collaboration on space science. For
example, Phase I of the UK-China Partners in Science initiative
in 2005-06 included an astronomy workshop organised by the Particle
Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) in September 2005
and a satellite technology workshop organised by the Council for
the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) in March
2006, both partly funded by the FCO. Phase II of the initiative
during 2006-08 provides an opportunity for follow-up activities,
including on space.
4. FCO missions in key partner countries
for the UK on space issues, including the USA, Japan, China, Russia
and India, maintain contact with their respective space agencies
in order to be able to report to BNSC on space policy issues.
FCO missions also help BNSC headquarters in dealing with proposals
for bilateral space agreements with other governments and support
British space industry's efforts in overseas markets. The FCO's
Science and Innovation Network, consisting of over 100 people
in 49 missions in 30 countries and territories, promotes UK expertise
in space science and technology as an example of overall UK science
strengths.
5. The FCO works with other departments
to secure UK objectives in European Union discussions and provides
guidance on working in the EU, including advice on the security
aspects of programmes and ensuring value for money. The FCO works
closely with the Department for Transport on Galileo and the Department
for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs on Global Monitoring
for the Environment and Security (GMES). In the context of the
EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the FCO shares the
policy lead with MOD on the EU Satellite Centre, a body responsible
for analysing commercial satellite imagery for use in Common Foreign
and Security Policy decision-making.
October 2006
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