Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to underwrite competitive grant awards made during the transition period by the European Commission to UK organisations including universities participating in Horizon 2020.

Subject to an overall withdrawal agreement being reached with the EU, UK people and organisations will be able to bid for grant funding, participate in and lead consortia in Horizon 2020 and other EU programmes during the implementation period. They will continue to participate in programme projects until their final closure. This includes the tail of Horizon 2020 projects that continue beyond 2020.

If no overall agreement is reached, the UK government will guarantee the payment of awards where UK people and organisations successfully bid directly to the European Commission on a competitive basis for EU funding projects while the UK remains an EU member. This will include Horizon 2020 projects.