Millions in taxpayers' cash flushed down the pan in 'pointless' research schemes

Millions of pounds are going down the toilet on bizarre schemes ­including greener ways to flush the loo.

A little-known government quango called UK Research and Innovation dishes out £8billion of taxpayers’ cash a year to nine research groups, including the Arts Council.

But the boundary-breaking projects include a scheme to support eco-friendly toilet flushing, costing £280,000, while some £600,000 was spent on a study of Italian cinema.

Last year, £50,000 was also handed to Knit It – a “new innovative digital platform… making knitting enjoyable, faster and fun”.

John O’Connell, chief executive of campaign group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, hit out at the “pointless projects”.

Around £600,000 was spent on a study of Italian cinema (Corbis via Getty Images)

He said: “Taxpayers expect research funds to go towards groundbreaking innovations, not empty academia and ­cultural claptrap.”

As well as the Arts Council, the UKRI covers national bodies including the Medical Research Council and the Natural Environmental Research Council.

The group said it exists to “partner with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities and government” to “push the frontiers of human knowledge and understanding”.

£50,000 was handed to a platform trying to make knitting more fun (Getty Images)

But MPs are among the UKRI’s critics.

Jacob Rees-Mogg said the group, which was set up in 2018 by then-Business Secretary Greg Clark, was “ripe for reform”.

The Tory said: “You want to make sure we’re handing out money properly.”