Government’s new scientific research agency will be exempt from public contract rules and Freedom of Information Act

A new “high risk, high reward” scientific research agency being set up by the UK government will not have to comply with normal procurement rules and could be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is being backed with £800m (€930m; $1.1bn) and will “fund the most inspiring inventors to turn their transformational ideas into new technologies, discoveries, products, and services,” the government has said.

But the new body will …