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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to prevent any funding shortfall for UK universities by introducing domestic funding to replace research income from the European Research Council and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions in the event of no withdrawal agreement being reached between the UK and EU.

If there is a deal, and the Withdrawal Agreement is ratified, the UK will continue to be able to participate in Horizon 2020 until the end of the programme. This includes access to funding for UK researchers from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

In the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, the Government has committed to underwrite all successful UK bids submitted to Horizon 2020 before EU exit, including ERC and MSCA funded projects. Through the extension to the guarantee, the Government has also committed to fund all UK participants’ funding in all Horizon 2020 calls open to third country participants from the date of exit. This would cover the lifetime of projects, even if they last beyond 2020.

We are very conscious, though, that third country participation is not possible for nearly all ERC and some MSCA grants. The Government is considering what other measures may be necessary to support UK research and innovation in the event that the guarantee and the extension are required. We are working with stakeholders to identify appropriate measures that could be put in place in the period immediately after EU Exit, if needed.