WORK is already under way to ensure the science industry in Oxfordshire does not lose funding after Brexit, Nicola Blackwood has said.

The Oxford West and Abingdon MP is chairman of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee which ensures Government policy is based on good scientific advice.

At an event at Abingdon School on Sunday with The Guardian science correspondent Dr Hannah Devlin as part of Oxfordshire Science Festival Ms Blackwood said the EU funded about £1bn of research each year.

She said: "We have already raised it with the Europe Minister, the Prime Minister and Chancellor and others.

"The idea is to put forward a range of recommendations which will be put on the desk of the new Prime Minister.

"Science and innovation is an essential aspect of our economy, especially now.

"We need that science and innovation engine to be protected."

Conservative MP Ms Blackwood campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU and said it was important that scientists could continue to benefit from freedom of movement so that scientists could come and work here.

She said: "We want to make sure we can recruit the brightest and the best.

"I think we should have a different system for those coming and going from the EU because we will be in a special position.

"If you are in the single market and paying in I think that should be reflected in the immigration system."

The audience had the chance to quiz Ms Blackwood on her thoughts on the future of science when Britain departs the EU.

The MP said there were potentially some aspects of EU regulation which the science industry would not miss.

She said: "My committee just finished an inquiry into EU regulation and life sciences.

"We concluded the EU process is slow and cumbersome and can be over-conservative in its aims to protect patients.

"The problem is that if we want access to the single market, if we want our scientists to be able to collaborate across the EU we have to mimic those regulations within the UK."

Ms Blackwood also spoke about the future of representative democracy in the social media age and the response she had received from her constituents about Brexit.

Science festival director Said Hasnaoui said the event had been planned for more than a year but had taken on added significance after the Brexit vote.

He said: "Suddenly we had Brexit and it changed everything because our universities are very reliant on EU funding and also our labs have a lot of EU people.

"I sense through the festival a lot of worries and the atmosphere after Brexit.

"I have a great hope we do not push the red button and leave the EU."