BEIS Questions

Horizon is the EU’s largest research funding programme, making grants which total £80 billion. The UK had been expected to retain associate Horizon membership after leaving the EU, but disputes over the Government’s implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol have meant that membership has not been granted. In addition to financial security, funding through Horizon enables British scientists to collaborate on projects with scientists across Europe. 

At Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions on 12 July 2022, I asked the Secretary of State:

“The Minister will know that 115 Horizon grants have been cancelled last week. Can he commit to ensuring that money is given to our excellent scientists, just as the previous, excellent Minister would have done?”

The Government have threatened to leave Horizon altogether and establish a new funding scheme, but the details remain unclear after the Science Minister and the Chancellor resigned in protest at the Prime Minister’s failures of leadership last week. Our scientists deserve certainty in both the short and long term.