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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent discussions has he had with his EU counterparts on progressing the ratification of the UK’s association with the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have recently raised the ongoing delays by the EU to the UK’s association to Horizon Europe in discussions with our counterparts across Europe. In the last few months, I have spoken directly with colleagues in Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden. The UK also raised the ongoing delays at the EU-UK Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes in December - the minutes from this meeting can be found on gov.uk.

In order to provide reassurance, the UK Government has guaranteed funding for the first and second waves of eligible successful applicants to Horizon Europe. If the UK is unable to associate to Horizon Europe we will be ready to introduce a comprehensive alternative programme of international science, research and innovation collaborations.