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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish detailed information on the mechanism for replacing access to funding from the (a) European Research Council and (b) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions through the Horizon 2020 scheme for UK research entities in the event that the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019 without a withdrawal agreement.

A ratified deal based on the provisions set out in the Withdrawal Agreement would ensure continued UK participation in EU Programmes, such as Horizon 2020, committed under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), until the end of the programme and for the lifetime of projects.

As a responsible Government, we continue to prepare for a ‘No Deal’ scenario. To this end, the Government has committed to underwrite funding for all successful competitive UK bids submitted to Horizon 2020 before exit. In July 2018 this guarantee was extended to cover all successful competitive UK bids to Horizon 2020 calls open to third country participation from point of exit until the end of 2020. Both the guarantee and extension will apply for the lifetime of qualifying projects.

In a no deal scenario the UK would become a third country participant in Horizon 2020 after exit day. Third country participation is a well-established part of Horizon 2020 - entities from third countries currently participate in and lead consortia in a wide range of collaborative programmes. However, third country participation does not extend to the majority of the European Research Council (ERC) grants or some parts of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). We continue to work with stakeholders and Treasury (HMT) to identify appropriate measures that could be put in place in the period immediately after EU Exit, if needed.