Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the document, Framework for the UK-EU Partnership: Science, research and innovation, published in May 2018, what progress (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have made on a Science and Innovation Pact with the EU.

Both the UK and the EU have been clear about the benefits of international collaboration on science and innovation and it is our intention to continue this cooperation with the EU. The government’s ambition for this is reflected in the document published in May 2018, which was presented to our EU counterparts during a technical session. The document can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/710268/SCIENCE_-_FINAL.pdf.

The White Paper sets out proposals for a cooperative accord on science and innovation, which will provide for UK participation in EU research funding programmes, enable continued cooperation through joint participation in networks, infrastructure, policies and agencies which are to the UK’s and the EU’s joint benefit, and establish channels for regular dialogue between regulators, researchers and experts. We are working at pace to conclude this agreement.