Thread by @martinrsmith

Dominic Cummings: I was always clear that science shouldn't lose a penny from Brexit. Horizon and ODA funding shouldn't be subject to "Whitehall accounting gimmicks".

DC: The last conversation I had with the PM was about how to make sure science and technology is part of the PM's job - and for all future PMs

Cummings: we should look at much longer term budgets for science. Inability to plan long term is incredibly damaging. Govt should be spending as much proportionately as Korea, China.

Cummings: I wrote a note on moving coordination of science and technology to the Cabinet Office and it was approved. "With the best will in the world, a junior minister at BEIS can't look across the system"

Cummings: I didn't watch the Budget, but if UKRI is getting cut that's an extremely bad decision. Dodgy accounting tricks with ODA is bad. 2020 shows we need to take science funding seriously.

Cummings: Rishi Sunak was always a strong supporter of science and technology spending. He's personally committed. I'm more interested in absolute number for spending than the 2.4% GDP target. But China and Korea are taking science much more seriously than we are.

Cummings: Biden administration is reversing Trump's science cuts. UK science previously benefited from scientists leaving the USA because of Trump.

Cummings: Nobel prizes of the past are being used as branding [for UK science superpower], but we haven't invested enough in the last 20 years. True situation is more worrying and dangerous than it appears.

Kwarteng: We remain totally committed to the 2.4% and £22bn targets.

UKRI budget for 2021/22 still hasn't been set yet. "I'm fully conscious of when the next financial year starts Mr Clark"

Kwarteng: shortfall in charity funding for research is a fair point to raise - looking at ways to provide support. Difficult financial position.

Greg Clark: UKRI says some grants will need to be terminated because of ODA cuts.

Kwarteng: I'm representing as passionately and energetically as I can. But this is an unprecedented [national] fiscal situation.

Kwarteg: We're talking the talk of science superpower, and now we have to walk the walk. That's something I remind the PM about constantly.