AN SNP minister has challenged Labour in the Commons over plans to build a supercomputer for the University of Edinburgh were scrapped.
Chris Law, MP for Dundee Central, challenged Labour’s minister for technology Peter Kyle over the funding that was announced – and duly scrapped – for the technology.
Funding to the tune of £800m to build a supercomputer at the university was binned by the Labour government last year.
This was part of a package of investment that was due to be made in the countries tech sector totalling £1.3bn.
In an announcement on Monday Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated his intentions to make the UK a “world leader” in AI intelligence – part of which would involve the building of a new supercomputer, contrary to the government’s previous actions.
MP Law subsequently took to the Commons to question whether this computer will be located in Edinburgh as previously scrapped plans suggested.
Peter Kyle did not provide an answer to the SNP MP, instead opting to suggest the project wasn’t scrapped because it was never in existence.
Chris Law said: “Over the summer, the UK Labour government cancelled £1.3bn worth of investments in tech and AI projects, including £800m for the next generation exascale supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh.
“The UK Government described this project as making, and I quote, little strategic sense.
“Yet today has now pledged to turbocharge AI, including plans to build a brand new, wait for it, supercomputer.
“So can the secretary tell me, on the back of the fact there’s new investment and the University of Edinburgh has been at the centre of research and development of AI for more than 60 years, whether the new supercomputer will now be located at Edinburgh?”
With Peter Kyle replying: “I just make the basic point again because I think he needs to hear it again.
“You can’t cut something that doesn’t exist. I did not cut something because it did not exist.
“What I have done is extended the existing supercomputer for another year so that people have the reassurance that the capabilities that are needed via Edinburgh University are there.
“In that time, I am making sure that I’m working on a strategy that will have resilience.
“Why will it have resilience?
“Because it will be fully costed, fully planned, and fully funded so that those people who who need to know the strategic opportunities of our country will have the certainty they need now and into the long term from spring when we have the strategy released.”
