Adam Afriyie, MP for Windsor and Chair of the Parliamentary Space Committee, said:

"I'm delighted the Government has again committed to establish a spaceport in the UK by 2018. This shows the Government has the vision to imagine Britain as a global player in this emerging industry.

"As politicians we need to keep our eye on the future. Just like business people, we need to spot new opportunities first, and I believe the space tourism industry is just one of those opportunities.

"The UK space sector already supports hundreds of thousands of high-quality tech jobs, and space tourism create countless more in the future. The value of aerospace exports alone grew by 12 percent in 2013.

"Moreover, this will encourage young people to become the space scientists of the future, putting Britain at the forefront of this important global industry."

Contact:

§  Telephone: 020 7219 8023

§  Email: adam.afriyie.mp@parliament.uk

Notes to Editors:

1.    Mr Afriyie’s website: http://www.adamafriyie.org/