Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Advanced Research and Invention Agency and FOI

The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Business Secretary, on 2 March 2021.

Labour is a firm proponent of high ambition, cutting edge science and research and we will continue to support and champion the work of our country’s scientists. We support the creation of an agency for high-risk science, if it is created with and rooted in the science community.

But ‘maximum flexibility’ sounds like an excuse for no competition. The Government’s procurement has been riddled by conflicts of interests and lack of transparency.

Ministers must not use ARIA as cover for further cronyism, and there will be further concerns raised by the news that the agency will have a blanket FOI exemption. Taxpayers have a right to know how and in whom their money is being invested.