The UK will formally launch its new space agency on Tuesday.We're upping our space spending? In a recession? That can't be right!
Well, turns out it isn't:
Britain currently puts about £270m a year into civil space endeavours, most of it via the UK's membership of the European Space Agency (Esa).Which has, presumably, been working well. So, why the need to set up yet another civil service drain on the public purse?
This is not expected to change dramatically with the creation of an executive agency, especially with the government committed to cutting the public deficit.
The hope, however, is that the reorganisation will bring more coherence to space policy...In the same way that the Department of Transport has brought more coherence to transport policy, and NICE has brought more coherence to...
Ah.
Because when I look at my falling profits, and when I read about the parlous state of the public finances, what always strikes me is "What we need right now is a big space rocket"....
ReplyDeleteActually, can we not think laterally about this? Put those responsible for running the economy for the last 13 years in the driving seats, then explain that (sadly) we can't afford the fuel for the return journey.
"...what always strikes me is "What we need right now is a big space rocket"...."
ReplyDeleteI often do think that, but then I stsrt to wonder just where we'd send them all in it, and I give up...
Perhap instead of allowing this new bunch of teat-sucking civil servants a dining and entertainment allowance, we could insist they only have access to those vacuum packed and freeze-dried astronaut rations?
ReplyDeleteYikes. If I was the Conservative, I would be taking aim at this right now because this is precisely what will convince voters that Labour are grossly irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteLfaT, if everything leading up to this hasn't done that, I really, really wouldn't pin your hopes on it!
ReplyDelete£270 million? The fuckwits will probably spend half of that trying to knock out the dents on the Top Gear Reliant Robin Shuttle, and the other half repainting it. Of course, they'll have borrow $1.69 to download Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by The Carpenters.
ReplyDeleteSo, the amount spent won't change significantly, but they've set up a new executive agency...
ReplyDeleteTranslation: We've created a new quango which will waste some of the existing budget, but otherwise nothing will change.
How very New Labour.
Weekend yachtsman got there before me.
ReplyDeleteThis is the old joke about NASA.
They're still expanding into space, new office space.
"This is the old joke about NASA.
ReplyDeleteThey're still expanding into space, new office space."
Heh!