Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether UK (a) companies and (b) institutions will be able to participate in EU research and development projects after 2020.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
As part of our future partnership with the EU, the UK will look to establish an ambitious future agreement on science and innovation that ensures the valuable research links between us continue to grow.
The UK would like to participate in EU research and development projects after 2020 and would like the option to fully associate to the excellence-based European research and innovation programmes, including Horizon Europe (the successor to Horizon 2020) and Euratom Research and Training.
Such an association would involve an appropriate UK financial contribution linked to a suitable level of influence in line with the contribution and benefits the UK brings. The UK looks forward to discussing the detail of any future UK participation with the European Commission.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether businesses will be charged for the cost of the creation of new regulatory agencies in the UK after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government is undertaking a wide range of preparatory work looking at the implications of UK withdrawal from the EU. This includes looking at functions presently undertaken by EU agencies.
The Government’s priority is to have effective regulatory systems. Should an EU regulatory function be repatriated then in most cases this will be undertaken by an existing, rather than a new, public body.
Prior to any decisions on establishing a new public body, the Government will always examine how it might be funded in a way that meets the standards set out in ‘Managing Public Money’ for financial transparency, accountability and oversight as well as value for money for the taxpayer. Funding is considered on a case by case basis and fees and charges can only be levied where Parliament has agreed legislation permitting the funding of new bodies in this way.
We will continue to engage with businesses as we develop our approach.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has for new health and safety-related inspections at the UK-EU border after the UK has left the EU; and what estimate he has made of any potential additional time goods will spend at those borders.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The Government takes the issue of consumer product safety extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring that only safe products are placed on the UK market now and in the future.
The Government is preparing for the UK to make an orderly and successful exit from the European Union. BEIS is working with the Department for Exiting the European Union and other Departments to make sure that the preparations for exit from, and new partnership with, the EU are on track.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the proportion of Horizon 2020 (a) projects originating in the UK and (b) funding that the UK received in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
As of the 6th March 2018, the UK’s share of total participations in Horizon 2020 was 12.4% and the UK received 14.5% of the total European Commission Horizon 2020 funding. This is equivalent to around €4.2 billion. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-participation-in-horizon-2020
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the economy of the UK leaving the EU without replacing EU research funding.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
As part of our future partnership with the EU, the UK will look to establish an ambitious future agreement on science and innovation that ensures the valuable research links between us continue to grow.
The Government has been taking rigorous and extensive analysis work to support our exit negotiations, as any responsible Government should, in order to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK's domestic policies and frameworks. We have been engaging with relevant stakeholders from all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK as part of this process, and will continue to do so as we move forward.
We have been clear the Government will not provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work that is being carried out within government.
The UK and EU negotiating teams have reached another important milestone in the Brexit process by agreeing the terms of a time-limited implementation period. The agreement envisages that UK entities’ right to participate in EU programmes will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
In addition, the UK Government has committed to underwrite Horizon 2020 funding if necessary. This guarantees funding for UK participants in projects ongoing at the point of exit, as well as any successful bids submitted before the UK leaves the EU.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much EU research funding the UK received in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
UK Funding for Common Strategic Framework (CSF) Research and Innovation or equivalents 2012-2016
Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
UK Funding for Common Strategic Framework (CSF) Research and Innovation or equivalents (€millions) | 980 | 1114 | 797 | 1280 | 1385 |
Source: EU Expenditure and Revenue 2014-2020 http://ec.europa.eu/budget/figures/interactive/index_en.cfm
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what contingency plans have been made to replace EU research funding in the event that the UK is unable to conclude a withdrawal agreement with the EU.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Science and research are vital to the UK’s prosperity, security and wellbeing, and are at the heart of the Government’s industrial strategy. As part of our future partnership with the EU, the UK will look to establish an ambitious future agreement on science and innovation that ensures the valuable research links between the UK and the EU continue to grow.
The Joint Report sets out that the UK and the EU fully intend UK participants’ eligibility in Horizon 2020 to remain unchanged for the duration of the programme. This includes eligibility to participate in Horizon 2020 projects and to receive Horizon 2020 funding for the lifetime of projects. The Government encourages the UK research and innovation community to continue to bid for Horizon 2020 funding and participate in Horizon 2020 projects.
The Government's underwrite guarantee of Horizon 2020 funding remains in place in the event that commitments enshrined in the Joint Report are not met. This guarantees funding for UK participants in projects ongoing at the point of exit. It also includes projects that are only informed of their success or sign a grant agreement after the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on the economy of the UK not participating in the EU digital single market.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
The UK economy is fundamentally strong, with a highly competitive digital economy. The UK will not participate in the EU's Digital Single Market post-exit, as a result of our departure from the Single Market. As the Prime Minister said in her Mansion House speech this is a fast-evolving sector. It will be important to have domestic flexibility, to ensure the regulatory environment can always respond nimbly and ambitiously to new developments.
The Government is determined to ensure that the UK’s digital economy continues to be world leading and enables innovative UK companies to compete globally. The Government is seeking to agree a bold and ambitious Economic Partnership with the EU. There is no single model or analysis which can provide a definitive assessment of all potential outcomes. The Government is examining all areas of the UK economy and seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders in order to inform our negotiations with the EU.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many discussions involving which officials his Department had with the Financial Conduct Authority and the UK Listing Authority on the stock market listing of EN+.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Departments publish quarterly details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations on GOV.UK. These can be found at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/beis-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012#2016
Details of meetings with officials is not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of Government funding for Ben Ainslie’s sailing team; what assessment was made (a) before and (b) after that expenditure of its cost-effectiveness; what return was expected from that investment; and whether further funding will be allocated to the team.
Answered by Andrew Griffiths
In 2014, under the Coalition Government, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport agreed a funding package of up to £7.5 million to support Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team and their proposal to base their permanent headquarters on the Camber in Portsmouth. This was announced by the then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Rt hon Member for Twickenham (Sir Vince Cable).
This funding ensured the racing team’s commitment to basing their operations in Portsmouth for a minimum of 12 years to support three America’s Cup cycles, which in turn enabled economic benefits for the city’s marine and maritime sector. It also helped support community engagement and sailing participation projects in collaboration with Sport England.
The benefits arising from this investment extended beyond the sailing team. They included direct economic benefits from the generation of jobs and apprenticeships, together with the up-skilling of workers in the Solent area, the setting up of a Technical Innovation Group to help feed the innovations in applied technology developed by BAR into the marine industry, engagement with schools and higher education institutions, engagement with the local supply chain, and the setting up of a visitors’ centre.
Published details of this funding agreement are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-approves-75-million-for-sir-ben-ainslie-project-to-boost-portsmouth
No further funding to the team is currently planned.