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.