Speeches by Caliskan.

“This speaks to a bigger challenge that the Government are facing. We are in an environment where quangos are being abolished, and the public are saying to many of us, “Where is money being spent, and where can I feel the impact?” You will know far better than us that research and innovation is under particular scrutiny…”

“I am not trying to catch you out, but do you recognise that the lack of measurables is challenging? Although an organisation as a whole might always be going in the right direction, the purpose of this Committee is to assess value for money. I take the point—I think it is reflected in the Report—that for every £1 spent…”

“Okay. Professor Leyser, I do not know if you want to comment on that, but also, how do you know if the organisation has been successful or not?”

“So there will be a shift of expectation, from just tracking of a strategy to more measurable outcomes.”

“I want to ask about measurable outcomes and alignment to objectives. When the organisation was formed in 2018, DSIT set out 10 strategic objectives for it. None of the formal objectives is specific, measurable or time-bound, which makes it quite difficult to understand what outcomes the organisation is seeking to achie…”

“I have a very short question about the culture of the organisation, which panel members have already spoken about. You have a very good stat that staff feel they have the skills to do their job effectively, but a not so good one, too: only 40% of staff feel that they are encouraged to speak up when they identify seriou…”

“May I probe a bit more? There must be an innate tension between an organisation that wants to drive innovation in scientific research and the need to make those decisions within a policy framework set by a Department or Government. Professor, might you be able comment on that? How do you ensure that the funding is allo…”

“Obviously, there will always be areas that can be improved but, generally speaking, are you confident that there are clear lines of sight from the development of Government policy to funding activity and through to UKRI?”

“I want to ask about the relationship between the organisation and the Government; Professor Leyser and Sarah, you might be able to comment on this. It is fair to say that UKRI was set up with the intention that it would shape RDI policy and increase policy interest. How has the organisation improved clarity regarding t…”

“Going forward, are there other examples of what UK Research and Innovation needs to do better, when we compare ourselves with elsewhere?”

“Specifically about business, because in some of the evidence that we have received, it is an area that has been identified as perhaps a weakness. If you have other thoughts, the Committee would welcome them.”

“The total budget is a significant amount of money—£9 billion—so you will appreciate that the output is really important from a value-for-money perspective, for the taxpayer. You helpfully set out areas of focus. I want to probe a bit more on the work that the organisation does. It has an excellent reputation, as you ha…”

“The International Red Cross chief has said that Gaza is “worse than hell on earth”. Is it any wonder that he did, when those children who have escaped bombs face death from starvation? The United Nations has said that one in five people in Gaza faces starvation because of the blockade. Does the Minister agree with me t…”

“Let me emphasise the point around viability and the impact of a precarious economic situation on developers’ ability to build. Does the Minister agree that the challenges for the private sector that he has set out also apply to local authorities? In estate renewal in London, for example, many have had to relook at the …”

“Does the hon. Member recognise that targets were in place for a number of years, and that in most cases local authorities failed to meet them, not because of a lack of trying, but because market circumstances meant that viability did not work and planning permissions could not get through, and for a variety of other re…”

“It was a very good point!”

“I thank the Minister for reiterating the Government’s position and commitment to infrastructure delivery alongside housing. Will he comment specifically on infrastructure that allows people to get on a train and go to work? Does he agree that transport infrastructure is critical and that we must not build homes in the …”

“Q14. Every week, I meet families in Barking and Dagenham who tell me that they worry about paying their bills because they are on zero-hours contracts. My constituents want the chance to work hard in a secure job, earn a decent wage and have dignity in their workplace. As Labour’s plan for change delivers the biggest u…”

“The hon. Member gives me the opportunity to make two points. First, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will allow the Government to spearhead infrastructure delivery in this country in rural areas that do not have the necessary infrastructure. That is why the Bill is so important. With the necessary infrastructure, w…”

“I do not expect him to have followed my very short career to date or my position on the green belt, but just for the record, my long-standing position has been to identify appropriate areas on the green belt, particularly in London, where we have a housing crisis, that can be built on. The truth is that there are many …”