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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that, following Brexit, UK research groups will receive appropriate funding and organisational assistance to enable them to collaborate with EU research programmes and networks, in the same manner in which research groups in non-EU countries undertake such collaboration.

In the Autumn Statement 2016 the Government announced that we will make Britain the global go-to nation for scientists, innovators and tech investors, by investing an extra £2 billion a year in R&D by 2020/21.

This Government intends to secure the best possible outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union. We would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. However, whatever happens in the future, the Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation.