Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michelle Donelan and Chris Stephens

Monday 23rd November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP) [V]]

Scottish universities receive an average of 8% of their total research funding from the European Union, with a majority coming from Horizon 2020, so can the Secretary of State tell us whether participation in Horizon Europe is still on the table? If not, how should our universities be looking to replicate that funding?

[Michelle Donelan]

Our universities are world leading when it comes to research, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently published a road map. This is a priority for the Government. As the hon. Member will know, Horizon is being actively negotiated with the EU, and that Department has publicly said that it is preparing an alternative, should we not be successful in those negotiations.