Charity Commission warns Alan Turing Institute of its legal duties after complaints
The board of the UK’s leading AI research institute has been reminded of its legal duties in areas such as financial oversight and managing organisational change by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint.The Charity Commission has issued formal regulatory advice and guidance to trustees at the Alan Turing Institute (ATI) – the organisation’s board – after it was contacted by a group of staff with a list of concerns.The commission has told ATI it was now closing the case and was not launching a statutory inquiry – a formal investigation.However, the watchdog said if there was evidence of trustees ignoring its advice, it could resume contact with the institute.The commission launched a compliance case related to ATI after receiving the complaint last summer.
The complaint raised eight points of concern and warned the institute was in danger of collapse due to government threats over its funding, issued in July in the form of a letter from the then technology secretary, Peter Kyle.The complaint alleged the board of trustees, chaired by the former Amazon UK boss Doug Gurr, had failed to fulfil core legal duties such as providing strategic direction and ensuring accountability, with staff alleging a letter of no confidence was delivered in 2024 and not acted upon.Jennifer Sigafoos, director of the charity law and policy unit at the University of Liverpool, said the commission’s response indicated it was not “fully satisfied” with the ATI trustees’ actions and “considered that trustees could benefit from advice and guidance about their duties in some key areas”.“The commission has closed its case, and seemingly expects that trustees will follow through and comply with its advice,” she said.Sigafoos added that both sides will take positives from the outcome.
She said: “The complainants will feel vindicated in that their concerns have been taken seriously and investigated by the commission, and that the commission has determined that the trustees could have done better.The trustees will possibly also feel vindicated that the commission has closed its case, confident that the trustees are willing and able to do better, with the benefit of the advice and guidance provided.”A spokesperson for ATI said: “We’re pleased that the regulatory compliance case has now been closed, and grateful for the constructive engagement with our regulator, as well as advice and guidance provided which we will continue to take forward to support good governance at the institute.”A source close to the whistleblower group said the commission’s response “more than vindicated” their concerns, with the watchdog reminding trustees of “their most basic duties under charity law”.ATI’s chief executive at the time of the government intervention, Jean Innes, resigned in the wake of the government intervention and the whistleblower complaint.
The government had urged the institute to focus on defence and national security, and Innes has been replaced by George Williamson, chief executive of His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre – a role with a national security focus.The Charity Commission has been contacted for comment.
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