May says UK will ‘willingly’ pay to keep EU science ties

THE UK will continue to hand over money to Brussels after Brexit to stay involved in EU scientific research and development programmes under plans unveiled by Theresa May.

The Prime Minister announced yesterday that she wanted Britain to “fully associate ourselves” with European R&D programmes including the successor to Horizon 2020, the seven-year innovation project, and the research and training arm of Euratom, Europe’s nuclear agency.

Mrs May said the UK would “willingly make” financial payments in order to continue its participation in European science projects.

However, she insisted Britain would have to “maintain a suitable level of influence” over the initiatives as she said she wanted to discuss her plans with the European Commission during Brexit negotiations.

Meanwhile, Mrs May moved to alleviate concerns of Brexiteers over her customs proposals as a Cabinet row continued over whether to move forward with her preferred customs partnership option or the alternative maximum facilitation model.

Mrs May said a “backstop” proposal, which would be rolled out if the Government’s new customs arrangements were not in place by the end of the Brexit transition period in December 2020, would be for a “limited time” and only used in a “very limited set of circumstances”.

The “backstop” would see the UK remain closely tied to the customs union, which has sparked fears among Brexiteers that Britain’s ability to strike free trade deals could be restricted.

The Horizon programme was established by the EU to encourage scientific collaboration and has a budget of €79 billion to run until 2020. The Prime

‘We would look to maintain a suitable level of influence in line with that contribution’

Minister’s offer to the EU to be involved in any successor programme will help assuage concerns among the UK’S scientific community that Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc could stymie innovation and threaten funding.

Mrs May also said she wanted the UK to remain involved with the European Atomic Energy Community’s (Euratom) Research and Training (R&T) programme, which funds civil nuclear research and development.

Speaking at the Jodrell Bank Observatory near Macclesfield, she said: “The United Kingdom would like the option to fully associate ourselves with the excellence-based European science and innovation programmes – including the successor to Horizon 2020 and Euratom R&T.

“It is in the mutual interest of the UK and the EU that we should do so.

“Of course such an association would involve an appropriate UK financial contribution, which we would willingly make. In return, we would look to maintain a suitable level of influence in line with that contribution and the benefits we bring.

“The UK is ready to discuss these details with the Commission as soon as possible.”

It came as Mrs May stressed her “backstop” customs proposal was not the Government’s preferred option and “nobody wants this to be the solution that is achieved”.

“If it is necessary, it will be in a very limited set of circumstances for a limited time,” she said.

Mrs May also yesterday warned peers and MPS they had a “duty” to deliver Brexit as she took aim at the House of Lords for inflicting more than a dozen defeats on the Government over the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

She said: “The people voted and I think it’s incumbent on all of us to recognise that we have a duty to put into place the result of that vote and to ensure that the UK leaves the European Union.”