Science minister says backup plan still has value, despite access to EU scheme being secured
UK researchers could still be supported through a ‘plan B’ drawn up by the government as an alternative to EU R&D scheme Horizon Europe, science minister George Freeman has insisted. This is despite the UK now having secured access to Horizon funding, after a fraught and drawn-out negotiation process.
The minister spoke to Research Professional News hours after the UK government and European Commission announced a long-awaited deal on UK participation in the programme on 7 September, bringing an end to two-and-a-half years of uncertainty for UK researchers.