A WOKE qango that splurges taxpayer cash on projects such as “queer animals”;; and “pro-trans robots”;; has been slammed by the government’s spending watchdog.
After a Sun investigation laid bare eye watering spending on bonkers schemes, such as , the National Audit Office today warned that UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) threatens to undermine the UK’s position as a “global leader”;; in tech and science.
A damning probe by the NAO found that the country’s largest public funder of research and innovation lacks a coherent direction from ministers on its priorities.
The watchdog also blasted inefficient data systems at the UKRI, alongside a lack of “measurable objectives”;; which have limited effective monitoring of progress.
In the , Chancellor committed to investing £20.4 billion into the area of research and innovation.
UKRI is responsible for allocating over £9bn of taxpayer cash.
Responding to the NAO report, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Tory chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: “UKRI lacks any measurable objectives to track progress and does not have the right data to manage grant spending strategically.
“For the nation to remain global leaders in R&I, UKRI must do more to support its decision-makers, foster resilience, and ensure our systems can continue to respond to emerging challenges.”;;
