Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions her Department has had with the British Academy on the work of the British Institute at Ankara, in the context of the recent Turkish general election.

The Government provides funding to the British Academy for eight British International Research Institutes (BIRI), including the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA). The BIRIs are independent organisations, overseen by Boards of Trustees. The BIAA promotes academic collaboration between scholars based in the UK, Turkey and the wider Black Sea region, and acts as a centre of research excellence. The Government reviews funding and delivery of the British Academy and its BIRIs on an ongoing basis with regular reporting, monitoring and evaluation from the British Academy to ensure funding objectives are met.