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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will discuss with Cabinet colleagues prioritising the UK's continuing membership of and participation in the COST network in negotiations to leave the EU.

UK membership of COST is independent from European Union membership and does not form part of the negotiations to leave the EU. COST is an intergovernmental framework with 36 member countries, including Iceland, Turkey and other countries that are not European Union member states. Our future membership of COST will be decided on the basis of its continuing value to the UK.