Horizon deal delivers for British scientists, taxpayers and businesses - Michelle Donelan

We also agreed on the importance of securing a good deal – one that gives the best and the brightest of the UK’s scientific community access to the world’s largest research collaboration programme. A deal that delivers for British scientists, taxpayers, and businesses.

I am proud that we have signed, sealed and delivered that deal. A bespoke agreement which is not just in their best interests, but in the best interests of global scientific endeavour and discovery.

Months of painstaking work, of close negotiations, of Ministers and officials working around the clock with their EU counterparts have all culminated in this defining moment.

The agreement gives us a chance to write a new chapter in the story of British and European collaboration. One which will see our greatest minds working together, unlocking the bold scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow and bringing our colossal collective strength to bear on the greatest challenges of our time – from our quest for new, clean, green energy through to finding cures for conditions like heart disease and dementia.

And to anyone who doubts the scale of our ambition or the significance of the deal that has been agreed, I say: just look at what we have already accomplished.

Under our association to Horizon 2020 the UK established over 230,000 collaborative links across 163 countries. And together we expanded the frontiers of knowledge.

I want us to support Horizon Europe’s mission to create 300,000 new well-paid jobs by 2040. And I want us to play a leading role in areas like AI – a game-changing technology which will define this decade.

This is an area in which Britain can bring so much to the global table. We have led the international charge in supporting AI’s safe development, with the historic Bletchley Declaration signed by the EU and 28 other nations just last month. Now, our greatest minds and thinkers can contribute to Horizon partnerships in AI, Data and Robotics worth over £2bn.

And we can bolster Horizon’s scientific missions which I know will deliver enormous benefits for people in Britain, in Europe and around the world.

That includes Horizon’s cancer mission - accelerating research into better preventing, diagnosing and treating this life-threatening disease. A mission to support 3 million patients by 2030.

In the UK, we have set ourselves our own target of diagnosing three-quarters of cancers at stages one or two by 2028.

The two will complement and reinforce each other and advance our global efforts to treat and cure cancer.

In partnership with the British Academy, and other key backers, we intend to support selected UK researchers applying for Horizon pillar 2, through ‘pump priming’ funding. Up to £10,000 will be available per application.

An abridged version of a speech by Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, at the UK in Horizon celebration event.