Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the UK will continue to participate in European research programmes such as Horizon 2020 after the UK leaves the EU.

The Government’s immediate priority remains to ensure that UK participation in Horizon 2020 continues until the end of December 2020. The proposed Withdrawal Agreement, on entering force, would provide for ongoing UK participation in EU programmes until the end of 2020, and ensure funding is provided for the lifetime of individual projects beyond this. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government’s underwrite guarantee, which was announced in August 2016 would fund all successful competitive UK bids submitted to Horizon 2020 before exit. The extension to the guarantee, announced in July 2018, would also cover successful bids to Horizon 2020 calls open to third country participation that were submitted after point of exit, until the end of 2020. Both the guarantee and extension apply for the lifetime of projects.

Although third country participation is not possible for some ERC and MSCA grants, the Government is working with stakeholders to identify appropriate measures that could be put in place in the period immediately after EU Exit, if needed.