It is a damn shame that it didn't work, and I understand what you mean about the fact that the investigation should have been done before they launched it, but this country needs to kick start its drive for innovation.
I for one am pleased to see the government putting money behind such a venture, rather than leaving it to fester in the UK, so that it is driven across the atlantic (or even the channel) to get funding and research done on it, until it is then sold back to us at inflated rates.
Perhaps they could have picked one that worked though.