Research and analysis

Space Industry Regulations 2021: RPC Opinion

Regulatory Policy Committee opinion on DfT’s impact assessment on Space Industry Regulations 2021

• From: Regulatory Policy Committee
• Published: 19 July 2021

Documents

RPC Opinion: Space Industry Regulations 2021

PDF, 171 KB, 8 pages

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Details

The impact assessment (IA) to which this opinion relates, deals with proposals for a large potential market and significant risks associated with enabling commercial spaceflight launches from the UK. There is currently too much uncertainty about how these risks will be managed, mitigated, and distributed among stakeholders under current legislation. The Space Industry Act 2018 (SIA) provides broad powers to enable launches from the UK.

There was an error in the Department’s original IA relating to the net direct cost to business. The appraisal period being calculated from 2018 – 2038 (where it should have been 15 years). This was quickly rectified by the Department.

The RPC is pleased that its advice has contributed to the improvement of the analysis supporting regulatory policy in this area. We commend the Department for Transport for producing a well drafted IA covering a complex and wide area of regulations. We also commend the Department for responding positively and quickly to the errors identified by the RPC.

The corresponding IA can be found here.

Published 19 July 2021