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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to guarantee levels of funding for UK scientific programmes in the event that no agreement is reached on continued UK participation in EU scientific programmes after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK will maintain its status as a global centre for research and innovation. The Government has already committed to protect science funding with a total investment of £26.3 billion over the period FY 2016/17 – FY 2020/21. In addition, the Autumn Statement announced an extra £2 billion a year in research and development by the end of this Parliament.

UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU and 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.

Access to apply to Horizon 2020 and subsequent funding programmes after we leave the EU will be a matter for the negotiations that will follow the triggering of Article 50.