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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with further and higher education sectors on future research funding once the UK leaves the EU.

We want to reassure UK universities there is no immediate effect on them and their students and staff from EU countries. As has been made clear, while the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU funding arrangements continue unchanged. I issued a statement on 28 June addressing the most immediate questions raised by the sector (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-on-higher-education-and-research-following-the-eu-referendum). Ministers have also had discussions with a range of higher and further education stakeholders and our priority will be to work with the sector to help shape our approach in the coming months.

The Government intends to maintain and enhance the strength of our research base, which is why we have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament and will seek to secure the best deal possible for UK research in future negotiations.