25 Sep 20. Defence Committee to hold session on space-based threats to UK. On Tuesday 29 September, at 14.30, the Defence Committee will hold a session on the space-based threats and risks to the UK, exploring what defence capabilities, concepts and doctrine are required to respond to them. As the rhetoric surrounding the Integrated Review has increasingly discussed the importance of space to our national security and defence, this session will provide an evidence base to inform the Committee’s scrutiny of the outcomes of that process. The Committee will hear from one panel of three witnesses: Todd Harrison, Alexandra Stickings and Dr Bleddyn Bowen.
Todd Harrison serves as the Director of both Defence Budget Analysis and the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He teaches classes on military space systems and the defence budget at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both a B.S. and an M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics.
Alexandra Stickings is a Research Fellow for Space Policy and Security within the Military Sciences team at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Her research interests include military space, space warfare, counterspace capabilities and international space programmes. She has published on space topics for RUSI Newsbrief, RUSI Defence Systems and RUSI Commentary.
Dr Bleddyn Bowen is a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Leicester. Dr Bowen received his PhD in International Politics from Aberystwyth University in 2016, entitled ‘Spacepower and Space Warfare: The Continuation of Terran Politics by Other Means’. He has published in the journal Astropolitics: The International Journal of Space Politics and Policy on the political implications of space debris removal technologies, and elsewhere on the European Union’s space strategy, and the Welsh aerospace industry’s potential in a British and global space economy. In 2014 he was granted a Visiting Scholar position at the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University as part of his doctoral research on space warfare.
Tuesday 29 September, 14.30:
- Todd Harrison, Director, Aerospace Security Project, CSIS
- Alexandra Stickings, Research Fellow, Space Security and Policy, RUSI
- Dr Bleddyn Bowen, Lecturer in International Relations, Space Policy/Warfare, University of Leicester
House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard Written Answers
Question
Dame Diana Johnson
Labour
Kingston upon Hull North
What steps his Department has taken to maintain the overall size of the armed forces since the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Answered on
21 September 2020
James Heappey
Conservative
Wells
We have made significant progress in delivering the aims of the last Strategic Defence and Security Review. But the global picture has changed since 2015, and we must adapt to the new threats that confront us. That is why the Prime Minister has commissioned the Integrated Review. I can assure the House that this Government is committed to ensuring that the United Kingdom continues to have the world-class Armed Forces that it needs and deserves.
Question
Christian Matheson
Labour
City of Chester
What recent assessment he has made of the contribution of defence procurement contracts to the UK economy.
Answered on
21 September 2020
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
The Ministry of Defence spent £19.2 billion with UK industry and commerce in financial year 2018-19, directly supporting 119,000 jobs across the country and indirectly supporting many thousands more.
Question
Mr Kevan Jones
Labour
North Durham
What recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of non-disclosure agreements used within his Department’s defence programmes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered on
21 September 2020
Jeremy Quin
Conservative
Horsham
The Ministry of Defence only uses non-disclosure agreements in its commercial arrangements by exception; for example if there is, prior to a tender or contract, sensitive information to protect during market engagement. These are prepared on a case by case basis. A trend analysis has not been undertaken, but it remains the case that NDAs are only used where they are deemed absolutely necessary.
Question
Dr Julian Lewis
Independent
New Forest East
What recent assessment he has made of the utility of offensive cyber in countering conventional aggression.
Answered on
21 September 2020
Mr Ben Wallace
Conservative
Wyre and Preston North
We recognise cyber as a domain of military operations alongside air, land, sea and space.
Offensive cyber is now a critical part of our arsenal. Defence has integrated this into our military planning alongside the full range of military effects. We will continue to develop and exploit Offensive Cyber’s potential to complement and enhance our conventional military capabilities and assets.
Offensive Cyber has already demonstrated its utility, against Daesh, where the UK suppressed Daesh propaganda, hindered their ability to coordinate attacks, and protected coalition forces on the battlefield.
For reasons of safeguarding national security, I cannot discuss our cyber capability in greater detail or be specific on how it is employed.
Question
Tony Lloyd
Labour
Rochdale
When the Government plans to publish the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Answered on
21 September 2020
Mr Ben Wallace
Conservative
Wyre and Preston North
The Integrated Review will remain closely aligned with the 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), to ensure that ambition, capabilities and budgets can be closely coordinated.
Both will publish later in the year. At its heart the Integrated Review is about developing the capabilities we need to meet the threats we face.