New £800m UK science research agency called Aria to open in 2022
The government will today announce a new £800m military research agency that was spearheaded by former Boris Johnson aide Dominic Cummings.
The Advanced Research & Invention Agency (Aria) will be “tasked with funding high-risk research that offers the chance of high rewards” and is set to be launched next year.
A statement from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial (Beis) said Aria will “fund the most inspiring inventors to turn their transformational ideas into new technologies, discoveries, products and services”.
The agency is based on the US’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), which has overseen the creation of experimental military technologies.
Darpa and its predecessor agency has been responsible for the invention of the internet, GPS and a series of dog-shaped cyborgs.
The creation of the UK’s own experimental military technology agency was a pet project of Cummings, who wrote a 2018 blog post about how Britain’s post-Brexit priorities should be forming its own Darpa and reforming Whitehall.
The Times reported earlier this week that Aria will not be subject to the UK’s Freedom of Information laws.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Led independently by our most exceptional scientists, this new agency will focus on identifying and funding the most cutting-edge research and technology at speed.
“By stripping back unnecessary red tape and putting power in the hands of our innovators, the agency will be given the freedom to drive forward the technologies of tomorrow, as we continue to build back better through innovation.”
Labour’s shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said the government needed to “clarify” the mandate of the new agency.
“It is important Aria does not have a blanket exemption from FOI laws as has been reported, so taxpayers know how their money is being invested,” he said.