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

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to channel funding for university research that was previously provided by EU funding; whether they intend to devolve all or part of this funding stream to the devolved administrations; and what plans they have to maintain the overall levels of funding for university research at the level previously provided by EU funds.

Negotiations with the EU to associate to Horizon Europe, are ongoing. We are open to participation if we can agree a fair and balanced deal for the UK. If the UK associates to Horizon Europe, universities will be able to apply for funding from Horizon Europe in line with the terms of any agreement and the final regulations establishing the Horizon Europe Programme. We set out in the R&D Roadmap that if the UK does not formally associate to Horizon Europe, the Government will implement ambitious alternatives as quickly as possible from January 2021 and will address the funding gap. Alternatives to Horizon Europe, if required, will cover discovery, or ‘curiosity-led’ research, global collaborative research, and innovation.