Oral Answers to Questions

Gerald Jones Excerpts

Wednesday 19th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

6. What recent progress she has made on securing the UK’s association with Horizon Europe.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

10. What recent progress she has made on securing the UK’s association with Horizon Europe.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

12. What her planned timescale is for negotiating the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chloe Smith]

Unfortunately it is the European Union that has delayed for more than two years, and that has caused serious and lasting damage to the UK’s participation. What we need to do is ensure that we can get the right deal for UK researchers, UK businesses and UK taxpayers. That that is what we are working to do, and we are confident that the talks are proceeding constructively. It is much more important to get the right deal than to get a fast deal.

[Gerald Jones]

The Government made a manifesto promise to associate with Horizon Europe, but it is now 132 weeks since they took our country out of the world’s biggest science fund. It is shocking but not surprising that they have broken yet another promise. Government inaction has seriously damaged our international science pedigree. How much longer will our world-leading scientists, researchers and universities—who have suffered so much already—be forced to wait because this Government cannot keep their promises?

[Chloe Smith]

We have continued to support the sector with more than £1.5 billion of the Horizon guarantee. We have done that to ensure that there is no loss of funding for the UK science sector. I think it far more important to speak directly to researchers, businesses and taxpayers about our commitment to getting the right deal than to engage in party politics here.