The 25 papers are the first of approximately 80 notices expected to be published over the coming weeks. T
This first batch of papers covers EU-funded programmes, the nuclear industry, agriculture, trade, product labelling, tax and finance, the medical industry, state aid, higher education and workplace rights. They lay out the changes to funding, regulation and access expected in the case of a no-deal Brexit and in most cases state that the government has plans in place to cover losses with resources and regulation sourced from the UK. According to the papers, British organisations may be unable to access EU Horizon 2020 research funding following the UK’s departure from the bloc. Chancellor Philip Hammond, has previously indicated that the government may cover funding for some EU projects if bids are submitted before 29 March 2019, although this would not cover the UK teams’ collaborators abroad. “UK Research & Innovation will be developing systems to ensure payments to beneficiaries of Horizon 2020 funding can continue,” the report says. However, Scientists 4 EU, a pro-EU campaign group representing researchers, has argued that the government undermined its commitment to Horizon 2020 by suggesting that the UK may not continue to honour its payment obligations to the programme and instructing UK scientists to stop writing Horizon 2020 grant applications. Dear @DominicRaab,You utter plonker. You’ve just instructed UK scientists to stop writing Horizon 2020 grant applications. Part of the Dec 2017 agreement (& bill) was to continue in EU science to 2020. Now it’s blown.100% irresponsible.[thread]https://t.co/0guiVfYmW9— Scientists for EU (@Scientists4EU) July 21, 2018 The UK would also leave Euratom, the European Atomic Energy Community responsible for coordinating nuclear research and safety in the energy sector. The UK would no longer be eligible to receive funding for European nuclear projects, such as the community’s research and training programme. The papers restate the government’s commitment to supporting Euratom projects in the UK, such as the Joint European Torus: a major fusion research facility based in Oxfordshire. Importing nuclear materials vital for the energy supply agency may also require a licence in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The government states that it is preparing to continue Euratom’s work in the UK by legislating for the UK nuclear regulator (the Office for Nuclear Regulation) to oversee domestic safeguards and take on many of Euratom’s responsibilities. The Office for Nuclear Regulation has warned that it could be facing a post-Brexit skills crisis as it is forced to take on extra responsibilities and as many experienced inspectors leave the organisation, leading to a “thinning of our overall regulatory capability” in coming years. With regard to the medical industry, drugs and other supplies may need to undergo new assessments in order to become accessible to UK patients, while the UK drugs regulator (The Medicines Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) will be forced to take on the responsibilities of the EU regulator. In a speech this morning laying out the government’s contingency plans, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab added that six weeks’ worth of medical supplies would be stockpiled in preparation for a no-deal Brexit and that the UK already had three months of “buffer” in more than 200 drugs and sufficient supplies of blood. Kier Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary, criticised Raab’s speech, commenting that it “provided no answers to how ministers intend to mitigate the serious consequences of leaving the EU without an agreement”. “A no deal Brexit has never been viable and would represent a complete failure of the government’s negotiating strategy,” he said. government and politics government policies legislation and regulation brexit Related stories Bombardier’s Belfast factory awarded £12m government support for new technology Government prepares to stockpile medical supplies for no-deal Brexit Software Programme Engineering Manager – Airborne ISR Manchester or Waddington Mechanical Engineer Edinburgh £30,357 to £32,997 Amazon warns of possible ‘civil unrest’ in case of no-deal Brexit Rolls-Royce might stockpile parts in preparation for Brexit Jaguar Land Rover warns of threat to its UK activities in the event of a hard Brexit ‘No Brexit dividend’ for car industry, says motor trade organisation Brexit jeopardising 14,000 Airbus jobs in UK if EU deal can’t be reached UK shut out from future of Galileo satellite navigation project Visa shakeup and tech investment package announced by UK government No further evidence of Russian meddling in Brexit vote, Facebook says Recent articles Halogen bulbs to be banned in the EU; phase-out starts next week Tax on tech giants could support public interest journalism, says Corbyn Huawei banned from Australia’s 5G networks over spying fears Driverless cars fitted with 5G to send warnings to other drivers Remote control robots discover ancient tunnels in Peru Better weather forecasts expected using laser-equipped spacecraft Nasa calls for renewed Moon exploration after finding frozen water at the poles Kalashnikov puts giant military robot statue on display outside Moscow Tidal stream prototype generates record levels of electricity off the Orkney coast