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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2020 to Question 102796 on Horizon Europe: Finance, how his Department will calculate the funding gap in the event that the UK does not participate in EU research projects after the transition period.

Negotiations to associate to the EU R&D programmes, Horizon Europe and Euratom R&T, are ongoing. If we do not associate to Horizon Europe, we have committed to meet any funding shortfalls and put in place alternative schemes. In that case, any assessment of the funding gap would need to take account of the outcome of discussions on the EU budget and the Horizon Europe Programme regulations, which are still being finalised.

UK funding for EU programmes, or for alternatives would also be subject to allocations at the Spending Review.