Former chief adviser to PM being questioned today about role in development of Aria, agency to fund ‘high-risk research’ into ‘groundbreaking discoveries’
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Q: Was support for Aria a condition of your agreeing to work for Boris Johnson when he became prime minister?
Cummings says he met Boris Johnson on the Sunday before he became prime minister and set four conditions for joining him. He says, first, he wanted to know Johnson was serious about getting Brexit done. Second, he wanted an assurance the science budget would double. Third, he wanted a commitment to create an Arpa-type institution. (Arpa was the forerunner for Darpa.) And, fourth, he wanted Johnson to change the way Whitehall works. And Johnson agreed, Cummings says.
Dominic Cummings starts by explaining why he believes in the Aria concept. He says it should fund proposals that cannot get funding from other sources. He holds up a graphic to illustrate his point.
Four minutes in and Dominic Cummings is showing printed charts to the Commons Science and Technology Committee: “Hopefully you can see this – I’ll put it on my blog if it doesn’t show up very well.” pic.twitter.com/rjdMXsfKp3
