Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) European Commission, (b) European Universities Association and (c) Secretary of State for Education on the future involvement of the UK in the Erasmus+ Programme.

The Government values international exchanges and collaboration in education and training. Future cooperation on education was discussed in the context of negotiations on the Political Declaration, where the UK and the EU agreed to establish terms and conditions for potential UK participation in EU programmes.

The next generation of EU programmes are currently under negotiation in the EU. The Government will make decisions on whether to participate in specific programmes in light of these negotiations and wider UK priorities.

Under the terms of the proposed Withdrawal Agreement, UK entities' right to participate in EU programmes during the current Multiannual Financial Framework period, such as Erasmus+, will be unaffected by the UK's withdrawal from the EU for the lifetime of those projects financed by the current Multiannual Financial Framework.

The Secretary of State regularly discusses EU Exit issues, including future UK participation in EU programmes, with Cabinet colleagues, and the Government is engaging closely with the HE sector and taking action to provide greater certainty.