Science and Technology Committee announces summit on science and innovation sector after Brexit

The Commons Science and Technology Committee has today announced that it will hold a summit focused on the future of the science and innovation sector in February 2018. The summit will identify the actions that need to take place to mitigate risks for the sector associated with the UK leaving the EU and to identify the best means to exploit emerging opportunities. The Committee will present the results at the start of the phase-II negotiations with the EU, in order to guide the Government in its discussions.

Norman Lamb, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, said:

“The UK’s decision to leave the EU has presented the science and innovation sector with its greatest challenge in generations. If we are to confront this challenge effectively so that we protect and enhance science in the UK, it is crucial that the science community’s voice is heard now.

“We stand at a vital crossroads in the Brexit negotiations. By holding this summit before the next stage of negotiations commence, we can ensure that our priorities are clear and our demands are delivered right to the heart of Government.”

To help inform this initiative, the Committee would welcome written submissions by 5 February, which might include comments on:

• The Government’s Future Partnership Paper ‘Collaboration on science and innovation’, including any challenges not fully acknowledged and opportunities not fully explored.
• The issues identified in previous S&T Committee reports (see below) that have since been addressed, and which still require attention.
• The pros, cons and remaining uncertainties for science, research and innovation following the recent UK/EU agreement for an ‘Orderly UK withdrawal’.
• The consequences of any short-term uncertainty during the negotiation period, and how these can be addressed.
• The UK’s future participation in Horizon-2020 and its successor programmes, including any alternative models that should be explored.
• Whether recent science co-operation deals (eg. the Joint UK-China Strategy for Science and UK-US Science and Technology Agreement) provide a suitable model for collaboration with other countries post-Brexit, including the EU.

The Committee’s initiative is intended to complement and build on:

• inquiries by the previous S&T Committee — EU Regulation of the life-sciences in June 2016, and Leaving the EU: Implications and opportunities for science and research in November 2016;
• the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee ‘Science priorities for Brexit’ report, drawn from engagement with key players across the science and innovation community in March 2017;
• the current Royal Society/Wellcome Trust 'Future partnership project' initiative.

The Committee will invite participants for the Summit. Individuals and bodies are invited to nominate themselves to take part, by emailingscitechcom@parliament.uk by 31 January, please use the subject title ‘Nomination for summit’.

Submitting written evidence

Submit written evidence via our inquiry page.

The personal information you supply will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 for the purposes of attributing the evidence you submit and contacting you as necessary in connection with its processing. The Clerk of the House of Commons is the data controller for the purposes of the Act. We may also ask you to comment on the process of submitting evidence via the web portal so that we can look to make improvements. If you have any queries or concerns about the collection and use of this information or do not wish your details to be used for the purpose of collecting feedback, please advise the Committee at scitechcom@parliament.uk providing your full name, address, and if relevant your organisation.

Each submission should:

a) be in Word format with as little use logos as possible 
b) have numbered paragraphs 
c) include a declaration of interests.

Please note that:

• ·           Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within a proposed memorandum, in which case a hard copy of the published work should be included.
• ·           Memoranda submitted must be kept confidential until published by the Committee, unless publication by the person or organisation submitting it is specifically authorised.
• ·           Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or by making it available through the Parliamentary Archives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
• ·           Select Committees are unable to investigate individual cases.

More information on submitting evidence to Select Committees.