Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill returns to the Lords

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill seeks to establish the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) as a statutory corporation. ARIA is a new type of funding body for conducting, commissioning and supporting ambitious scientific research with a tolerance to failure.

Consideration of amendments

The bill was considered by the House of Lords between 2 November 2021 and 10 January 2022, before passing to the House of Commons.

Members of the Lords considered Commons reasons for disagreeing with a Lords change (amendment) to the bill.

The amendment would enable ARIA to make it a condition of financial business support that:

• the support is convertible into a business equity interest
  
  
• for 10 years afterwards, the business gains the consent of ARIA to transfer intellectual property rights abroad or to sell or transfer a controlling interest to another non-UK resident business.

The Commons reason for disagreement was accepted.

How to follow

• Read the text of the proposed change (PDF)
• Catch up on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Explore further information

Read background information on the bill in the House of Lords Library Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill briefing.

What's happened so far?

Third reading: Monday 10 January 

Third reading is the chance for members to ‘tidy up' a bill, making any small changes to ensure it is effective. 

One change was put forward (PDF) (amendment) which would remove a reference to a paragraph removed at report stage. This was agreed to without a division (vote).

Members also discussed the progress of the bill through the House at the conclusion of Lords stages.

Catch up on Parliament TV or read the transcript in Lords Hansard.

Report stage: Tuesday 14 December

Proposed changes 

Members put forward changes (PDF) (amendments) to consider at report stage. 

The amendments cover a range of subjects, such as:

• including technological advances in the UK among the benefits ARIA should promote
  
  
• ensuring ARIA develops an environmental and social governance strategy
  
  
• subjecting ARIA to freedom of information requests.

There were two divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill.

Business support

The first vote was on amendment 1, which enables ARIA to make it a condition of financial support to a business that:

• it is convertible into a business equity interest
  
  
• for 10 years afterwards, the business gains the consent of ARIA to transfer intellectual property rights abroad or to sell/transfer a controlling interest to another non-UK resident business.

Members voted 166 in favour and 153 against, so the change was made.

Freedom of Information

The second vote was on amendment 6, which sought to make ARIA subject to Freedom of Information requests.

Members voted 126 in favour and 134 against, so the change was not made

Catch up on Parliament TV or read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Committee stage day two: Monday 22 November

Proposed changes

Members put forward changes (PDF) (amendments) to the bill to be discussed on topics including subjecting ARIA to Freedom of Information requests and ensuring that ARIA supports obligations relating to the Climate Change Act 2008.

Catch up on Parliament TV or read the Lords Hansard transcript.

Committee stage day one: Wednesday 17 November

Proposed changes

Members put forward changes (PDF) (amendments) to the bill to be discussed.

The amendments covered a range of subjects, including;

• giving ARIA a core mission to support the achievement of net zero emissions in the UK

• ensuring devolved administrations are represented on ARIA

• establishing ARIA committees in specific UK regions.

Catch up on Parliament TV or read a transcript in Lords Hansard.

Second reading: Tuesday 2 November

Members discussed the main issues in the bill during second reading. For example, developing, exploiting and sharing scientific knowledge and translating basic scientific research into more commercial technologies, as well as looking at grants and funding. 

Members speaking

Lord Callanan (Conservative), Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, opened the debate and responded on behalf of the government.

Members speaking in the debate included:

• Lord Borwick (Conservative), Director and Trustee, Royal Brompton and Harefield Charity and former member of the Lords Science and Technology Committee
  
  
• Lord Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrat), Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center
  
  
• Lord Rees of Ludlow, (Crossbench), former President of the Royal Society and Astronomer Royal
  
  
• Viscount Stansgate (Labour), Trustee, Parliamentary Science and Technology Information Foundation.

Find out more about the issues discussed: catch up on Parliament TV or read a Lords Hansard transcript. 

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