EU losing billions of UK’s cash as minister poised to ‘roll out’ funds for ‘Bold Plan B’

To account for the first four years of the programme, the Treasury ringfenced £6.9billion to foot the bill for participating in Horizon Europe and other European Union science programmes, or to fund any domestic alternative, until 2024–25.

This week, the Financial Times reported Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has ordered accelerated work on a “proper blueprint” for Mr Freeman’s “Bold Plan B” to Horizon, which the minister already appears to be making headway on.

For instance, the Government this week announced an extension to the support provided to UK Horizon Europe applicants, originally launched in November 2021, who were supposed to receive EU grants via the programme.

Part of Mr Freeman’s “Plan B” will involve launching very strong fellowships to make up for what its researchers could miss out on due to being booted out of the European programme.

The minister noted one of the main benefits of the Horizon programme, and one of the main reasons why he is “not shutting the door” on association to the EU scheme, is due to the European Research Council’s (ERC) fellowship awarded to successful applicants, which is “very prestigious” and is a “big badge of honour” for researchers.

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Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1713006/eu-uk-horizon-europe-brexit-george-freeman