[Metrobeans]

UK Space Industry, TSR Government

This House believes that the UK Space Industry should be a key component in the future UK economy and that the government should enact legislation which will aid this thriving industry.

At present the UK Space industry contributes £7.5bn to the UK economy, directly employing around 25,000 people and supporting a further 60,000 jobs in other industries, over the last decade the UK Space industry has enjoyed economic growth of around 10%, even during the Financial Crisis.

Current projections state that by 2020 the UK Space Industry will be valued at around £14bn and that if correct measures are taken the UK Space industry could be valued around £40bn, representing an increase in global market share from 6% to 10%.

This House also expresses its advocacy for the proposed mission by the company Planetary Resources which backed by James Cameron among other billionaires intends to operate mining within the solar system.

This House believes that ventures like this one, Skylon which has the potential to revolutionise industrial space travel and Spaceship-two locating in Europe are great both for the UK and the human race as a whole.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...-industry.html
http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency
http://www.tested.com/news/44067-we-...ce-and-profit/
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon.html
http://www.virgingalactic.com/overview/spaceships/

[Smack]

If the industry is thriving then why the hell would you want to create legislation for it? Government red tape and bureaucracy is the last thing that a growing industry needs.

[Rakas21]

I'm not proposing regulation for the industry however there are a few legislative things which can be done - putting out more graduates from certain disciplines for example, committing to the £550m which will be met with £10bn of private investment.

[Smack]

(Original post by Rakas21)
I'm not proposing regulation for the industry however there are a few legislative things which can be done - putting out more graduates from certain disciplines for example, committing to the £550m which will be met with £10bn of private investment.

How can you legislate "putting out more graduates from certain disciplines"? And what disciplines would these be? And what else would you legislate?

[Moleman1996]

Aye

[Rakas21]

(Original post by Smack)
How can you legislate "putting out more graduates from certain disciplines"? And what disciplines would these be? And what else would you legislate?

By providing incentives for the very best.

Engineering and Mathematics are two, i kept it vague as this motion simply allows people to discuss the Uk Space Industry, specifics will be dealt with in future bills.

[Joe909]

(Original post by Metrobeans)

UK Space Industry, TSR Government

This House believes that the UK Space Industry should be a key component in the future UK economy and that the government should enact legislation which will aid this thriving industry.

At present the UK Space industry contributes £7.5bn to the UK economy, directly employing around 25,000 people and supporting a further 60,000 jobs in other industries, over the last decade the UK Space industry has enjoyed economic growth of around 10%, even during the Financial Crisis.

Current projections state that by 2020 the UK Space Industry will be valued at around £14bn and that if correct measures are taken the UK Space industry could be valued around £40bn, representing an increase in global market share from 6% to 10%.

This House also expresses its advocacy for the proposed mission by the company Planetary Resources which backed by James Cameron among other billionaires intends to operate mining within the solar system.

This House believes that ventures like this one, Skylon which has the potential to revolutionise industrial space travel and Spaceship-two locating in Europe are great both for the UK and the human race as a whole.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...-industry.html
http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency
http://www.tested.com/news/44067-we-...ce-and-profit/
http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon.html
http://www.virgingalactic.com/overview/spaceships/

Here, here!

[DebatingGreg]

Though I like to see things that will aid the space industry generally, just saying we should put out "legislation" seems a bit vague, so I don't know really if I should vote in favour or not. I'd rather really see a bill on the matter, rather than a: "Well done, chaps, we'll put out some unspecified legislation for you."

It's like going in a motion: "This House believes people working productively is good. This House will put out some legislation to encourage that productivity. Yay."

In short, I can't really judge if this legislation will be any good until I see it, so I'd rather you just proposed this legislation rather than putting this motion forward.

Anyway, pointless rant over I generally agree with things that help the space industry, so I'll have a look at the debate in the next coming pages.

[Smack]

(Original post by Rakas21)
By providing incentives for the very best.

Surely that should be up to industry to provide incentives for the very best if it wants to? If an industry cannot even be bothered to provide this itself then surely that is rather telling.

Engineering and Mathematics are two, i kept it vague as this motion simply allows people to discuss the Uk Space Industry, specifics will be dealt with in future bills.

The UK produces far more engineering and maths graduates than there are relevant jobs, which is also why so many have to go into finance and accounting.

[Keckers]

If he industry is doing so well then I propose government let's it get on with it by keeping it's nose out.

[Mechie]

Hmm I'm unsure. I'm generally for helping out with science, but I'm not sure that space is the most useful cause. There's plenty of other, more relevant things that scientific funding could go to.

[Rakas21]

(Original post by DebatingGreg)
Though I like to see things that will aid the space industry generally, just saying we should put out "legislation" seems a bit vague, so I don't know really if I should vote in favour or not. I'd rather really see a bill on the matter, rather than a: "Well done, chaps, we'll put out some unspecified legislation for you."

It's like going in a motion: "This House believes people working productively is good. This House will put out some legislation to encourage that productivity. Yay."

In short, I can't really judge if this legislation will be any good until I see it, so I'd rather you just proposed this legislation rather than putting this motion forward.

Anyway, pointless rant over I generally agree with things that help the space industry, so I'll have a look at the debate in the next coming pages.

You are correct to a degree however this is not a subject discussed in the House before and as such i wished to get a feel from the House as to it's attitude.

[Rakas21]

(Original post by Smack)
Surely that should be up to industry to provide incentives for the very best if it wants to? If an industry cannot even be bothered to provide this itself then surely that is rather telling.

The UK produces far more engineering and maths graduates than there are relevant jobs, which is also why so many have to go into finance and accounting.

Then why do we here stories of a lack of highly skilled labour if we are putting out too many engineering graduates. I rather suspect that many intend to go into into finance anyway.

If the government can lend a hand without a cost to the taxpayer then i say go for it, details will be published in a bill once/if this motion passes.

(Original post by davidmarsh01)
Hmm I'm unsure. I'm generally for helping out with science, but I'm not sure that space is the most useful cause. There's plenty of other, more relevant things that scientific funding could go to.

Such as? Why should the human race stand still when space contains the ultimate riches. Let us not forget that it we can mine asteroids/moons as is the eventual goal of some then by virtue of increased supply we may see a drop in the price of some goods.

Space is hardly irrelevant, it is a rapidly growing industry with near infinite potential, like it or not but the Space Age is on the horizon.

(Original post by Keckers)
If he industry is doing so well then I propose government let's it get on with it by keeping it's nose out.

As part of a strategy for growth over the next 20 years, they have requested £550m in funding to be met with £10bn of private funds, hardly a bad investment. I agree in some aspects but there are ways government can aid the sector without regulation.

[Keckers]

(Original post by Rakas21)
Then why do we here stories of a lack of highly skilled labour if we are putting out too many engineering graduates. I rather suspect that many intend to go into into finance anyway.

Because often the jobs in engineering are specialised and require experienced engineers in various industrial fields. The firms aren't willing to further train the newly graduated engineers to a level of specialisation sufficient for the vacancies they have.

[MacDaddi]

As much as I love space its a nay. However, I dont know whether anybody has seen the Planetary Resources company in America. Basically they have billions worthof investment from Google. They are going to go and mine asteroids in space - with possibly massive rewards. We should involve oursleves with that

[Smack]

(Original post by Rakas21)
Then why do we here stories of a lack of highly skilled labour if we are putting out too many engineering graduates.

The people we lack are those who have suitable experience and skills, not graduates who 99% of the time have nothing other than a few summer placements or a year in industry if lucky under their belt.

(But it's not just engineering graduates face this problem, it's everyone (bar medicine since places are regulated) because our population is far too high, but that's another thread, and engineering graduates seem to actually be doing the best.)

A lot of the people we lack are technicians or machinists rather than engineers, but the media and government don't know the difference and would rather just put more people into university in order to fudge unemployment figures.

I rather suspect that many intend to go into into finance anyway.

Not at all. A lot of the people that are attracted to STEM are happier doing something interesting and innovative for low wages than something boring and soul destroying for higher wages.

[Rakas21]

(Original post by MacCuishy)
As much as I love space its a nay. However, I dont know whether anybody has seen the Planetary Resources company in America. Basically they have billions worthof investment from Google. They are going to go and mine asteroids in space - with possibly massive rewards. We should involve oursleves with that

One of the links in the motion relates them and is my eventual aim but until then we need to develop things like Skylon (in one of the other links) to actually get there.

[internetguru]

What the hell is this we want to waste money on this pointless space stuff? I thought we were a Conservative government not free spending liberals. I oppose this completely the space industry is a black hole for a country's finances.

[Moleman1996]

(Original post by internetguru)
What the hell is this we want to waste money on this pointless space stuff? I thought we were a Conservative government not free spending liberals. I oppose this completely the space industry is a black hole for a country's finances.

But development is buying our future.

[internetguru]

(Original post by Moleman1996)
But development is buying our future.

500M won't even buy a tank of fuel let alone a death star, moon base, and all that other futuristic nonsense. If we want a better future we should take away the burden of debt from our children by acting now.