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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Government plans to provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises that benefit from the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

The Autumn Statement announcement of an extra £2 billion a year in research and development by 2020- 21 underlines the place of science and innovation at the heart of this Government’s long term economic plan. This funding will help ensure British business remains at the cutting edge of scientific and technological discovery. Furthermore, the Government has announced that UK businesses and universities, including small and medium-sized enterprises should continue to bid for competitive EU funds, such as Horizon 2020, 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.