Space Industry (Indemnities) Bill

Key Points

• It mandates that operator licences for spaceflight specify the licence holder's indemnity limit.
• Applies to licences authorising spaceflight activities to specify liability coverage terms.
• Two amendments were debated in 2018 at Report Stage in the Commons and were defeated by large majorities.
• The bill originated in the Commons and has moved to the Lords, where it is at the first reading stage.

Progress

Originated in the House of Commons; amendments debated in 2018; currently progressing in the Lords at the first reading stage.

Voting

In two 2018 Commons report-stage votes, amendments were defeated by large majorities (33 in favour vs 282 and 277 against). Liberal Democrats, SNP and Plaid Cymru supported the amendments; Conservatives, Reform UK and DUP opposed; other parties had mixed or no recorded votes.