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Written question asked by Mark Hendrick (Labour) on Wednesday, 20 July 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 September 2016 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Monday, 5 September 2016. A substantive answer was provided by Lord Johnson of Marylebone (Conservative) on Thursday, 15 September 2016 on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Astrophysics

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the outcome of the EU referendum does not have an adverse effect on funding for collaboration by and recruitment of astrophysicists.

Answer

The UK will maintain its status as a global centre for research and innovation. In last year’s Spending Review the Government committed to protecting science resource funding in real terms from its 2015-16 level of £4.7 billion a year for the rest of the parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021.

While the UK remains a member of the EU, funding and collaboration arrangements continue unchanged. Researchers can continue to bid for competitive EU research funding such as Horizon 2020 while we remain a member of the EU. The Government will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Treasury will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. This commitment will provide reassurance and stability to the research community, and recruitment should continue as normal.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
43490
Session
2016-17
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Finance International cooperation Recruitment Astrophysics Brexit
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk