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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions the Government has had with EU member state representatives on Horizon 2020 grant applications continuing to be evaluated on merit alone during the period for which the UK remains a member of the EU.

The application process for Horizon 2020 is administered by the European Commission. UK participants can continue to bid for competitive Horizon 2020 EU research funding while we remain a member of the EU. We will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Treasury will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. This applies to all UK participants with direct agreements with the Commission who meet the terms of the grant.

The Commission has made it clear that proposals from, or including, UK applicants must be treated in the same way as applications from other Member States while the UK remains a member of the EU.