The Government has spent nearly £30 million on fringe research projects such as exploring gay porn after the Second World War and recording Syrian harvesting songs.

An investigation by The Telegraph has found evidence that dozens of overseas projects have been given eye-watering funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) since 2022, despite having no obvious benefit to British taxpayers.

They include nearly £850,000 for Birmingham City University to look into the circulation of gay male erotica and porn magazines in post-war Europe.

More than £350,000 was also given to the University of Oxford to save the threatened language of Enggano, which is spoken by just 1,500 people on Enggano Island, in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Likewise, £600,000 was awarded to Durham University to help displaced Palestinians from the single Shia village of Qadas in Israel access their archaeology.