Glasgow satellites firm leads the way in Scotland's space sector
Minister Iain Stewart visits Scottish space and defence firms to highlight opportunities provided by UK Government Integrated Review.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart today (Thursday 18 March) visited a leading Scottish satellites manufacturer to highlight the exciting new opportunities in Scotland’s growing space sector.
His tour of facilities at AAC Clyde Space in Glasgow comes after Tuesday’s publication of the Integrated Review of Defence, Security and Foreign Policy (the IR), which defines the UK Government’s ambition for national security and foreign policy over the next decade.
Investment in space forms an integral part of the plan as the sector in Scotland aims to grow in value to £4billion by 2030.
Minister Stewart said:
Technologies produced in Scotland are at the cutting edge of science in the space sector. Space firms headquartered in Scotland bring in £254m and about 20 per cent of those working on British space projects do so in Scotland, employed by 133 organisations.
The UK Government is committed to increasing spending on defence, which will lead to investment and creation of jobs in the Scottish hi-tech industries for years to come.
The UK’s first vertical spaceports will be located in the Highlands and Islands – part of a £31.5m UK Government investment - with vertical rocket and satellite launches planned from as early as next year.
While in Glasgow, Minister Stewart also visited Thales Optronics, defence industry manufacturers, who this year secured a 10-year £180m contract to provide armoured vehicle Remote Weapons Stations, securing 700 jobs and supporting 30 apprenticeships.
Minister Stewart met Samir Khan-Young, a graduate apprentice who recently won Scottish Apprentice of the Year.
Minister Stewart added:
Meeting Samir and seeing first-hand the company’s on-site apprentice school underlines how prioritising training within the sector is boosting Scotland’s skilled workforce.
Minister Stewart also toured the facilities at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus, which will be a key venue for the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference later this year, and discussed with SEC chief executive Peter Duthie the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the post-Covid recovery of the events industry.
While on site at the SEC, Minister Stewart also visited the Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Louisa Jordan hospital.