Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what changes have been made to Research Council deadlines for grant funding applications since May 2015.

Across the Research Councils, the following changes to deadlines for grant applications have been made since 1 May 2015:

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council – two call deadlines have changed since May 2015. One call had its deadline extended by two and a half weeks, and another was extended by almost a month.

• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council – one call deadline has changed since May 2015. This call had its deadline extended by three weeks.

• Natural Environment Research Council - six call deadlines have changed since May 2015. All calls have just had the deadline extended by one month on average.