PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Energy: Research (13 February 2019)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether UK (a) firms and (b) universities will continue to receive EU research funding for development of clean and renewable energy technologies after the UK leaves the EU.

Asked by:
Ian Murray (Labour)

The Government’s priority remains agreeing a deal with the EU. A ratified deal based on the provisions set out in the proposed Withdrawal Agreement would ensure that all UK participants can continue to receive EU funding from EU Programmes committed under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework for the lifetime of their projects. Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation funding programme, is one such programme. This programme includes support for the development of clean and renewable energy technologies.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government’s underwrite guarantee would fund all successful competitive UK bids submitted to Horizon 2020 before exit. In this scenario, the extension to the guarantee, announced in July 2018, would also cover successful bids to Horizon 2020 calls open to third country participation that were submitted after point of exit, until the end of 2020. Both the guarantee and extension apply for the lifetime of projects.

Answered by:
Chris Skidmore (Conservative)
20 February 2019