Warning over Brexit funding 'black hole' for university research

According to the latest official figures, institutions in the region have received over £160m in funding from the EU since 2014 through its Horizon 2020 programme.

The Government has already committed to underwriting any successful Horizon grant bids, as well as announcing additional funding for research and development.

But responding to the new data, the Yorkshire MEP Richard Corbett, a supporter of the Open Britain campaign, accused ministers of providing too little information about their post-Brexit funding plans.

"These figures highlight exactly how vital EU funding is for our knowledge economy," he said.

"Crashing out of the EU without a deal would create a funding black-hole for science and research in Yorkshire and the Humber, particularly for our universities and higher education institutions.

“The Government still hasn’t guaranteed remaining in EU science and research programmes after Brexit, and they have provided precious little detail about what comes next if we don’t.

"Ministers must ensure that no universities or projects in Yorkshire and the Humber lose a penny in funding because of Brexit, both up to 2020 and beyond."

Figures released by the Department for Business, Energy and Skills (BEIS) this week show the University of Sheffield to be the region's biggest recipient of Horizon 2020 funding after securing £62m.

The University of Leeds has received £57m, York £32m and Hull £10m.

The industry body Universities UK has previously called for "urgent" clarification on the future of these funding streams, as well as the Erasmus student exchange programme.

Speaking earlier this month, the organisation's president, Professor Janet Beer, warned that without this clarity "important European research programmes could stall".

Responding to Mr Corbett's comments, a BEIS spokesman said: “The government has placed science and innovation at the heart of its Industrial Strategy and announced an additional £2.3 billion for research and development to ensure the UK’s world-class scientists and researchers continue to play a pivotal role in global science.

“We have already committed to underwrite successful Horizon 2020 grant bids submitted before the UK’s departure from the EU, and will discuss an ambitious science and innovation agreement with the EU to continue our successful partnership."