Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary of Prospect, the leading science union, responding to the publication of the government's Brexit paper on science, said:
 
“The government’s commitment to science is welcome however this paper provides no answers on UK membership of Euratom, no guarantees on replacing EU research funding and little clarity for EU scientists working in the UK.

“The UK needs extra investment in science, not just the reallocation of existing funding the Chancellor announced in the spring Budget.

“The government also needs guarantee the rights of EU nationals already working in the sector and make clear that the UK will not shut the door to future scientists who want to come to the UK. And it must also put its reservations about the ECJ aside to make sure that the UK continues to be a full member of Euratom.

“European projects like Horizon 2020 and the Joint European Taurus (JET) fusion research based in Oxfordshire are vital to the UK science sector. This announcement will do little to end the huge uncertainty hanging over the sector."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

See:
Department for Exiting the European Union, Collaboration on science and innovation: a future partnership paper, 6 September 2017

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