PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Charities: Finance (25 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on medical research charities; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by:
Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat)

Ministers in BEIS and officials have met regularly with the Association of Medical Research Charities and their members over the last months. The AMRC have shared information on the potential challenges as a result of Covid-19, in particular on the extent of cancer related research which they support in universities. We are aware of range of risks to the sustainability of universities research from potential loss of income from international students from other research funders, such as charities.

On 27^th June, we announced a major package of support for universities to enable them to continue their research and innovation activities that are being impacted by Covid-19. From the Autumn, Government will provide a package consisting of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants, to cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses from international students for the academic year 20/21, up to the value of their non-publicly funded research activity. Universities will need to demonstrate how these funds are being utilised to sustain research in areas typically funded by charities and business.

Answered by:
Amanda Solloway (Conservative)
30 June 2020