Science principles for ministers

2009-12-15
Member News

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Bis) has published a set of principles on how the government should engage with scientific advisers.

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This formal guidance aims to "clarify the relationship between advice and policy".

Its publication follows a call from MPs for the UK government to uphold the independence of scientific advice.

The issue has been under scrutiny since the home secretary sacked former drugs adviser, Professor David Nutt.

Prior to this government announcement, the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee had recommended that if ministers do reject scientific advice, they should formally explain their decision.

The new principles do not go that far, but do suggest that, if government "is minded not to accept advice of a scientific advisory committee... the relevant minister will normally meet with the chair to discuss the issue before a final decision is made".

They also say that scientific advisers to the government must be "free to communicate in a professional capacity within their field of expertise, subject to normal confidentiality restrictions".

This point will aim to answer those scientists who criticised the Home Secretary Alan Johnson for dismissing Professor Nutt. Mr Johnson has said that Professor Nutt "crossed the line" in his role, by campaigning against government policy.

Last month, 27 of the country's leading scientists called for the principles to be established, to ensure that politics and science were kept separate.

Some scientists have claimed that there had been examples of "news management" by Whitehall departments, when the government did not agree with the conclusions of a report.

The government has now made it clear, in these guidelines, that scientific advisers "have the right to engage with the media and public independently of the government".

Culture clash

Ministers rely on scientific advice to develop sound government policy

Lord Drayson
Scientists had also criticised the government's timing when it published its response to scientific advice.

Earlier this year, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published its own climate projections on the same day as a scientific report that criticised them.

The new principles state: "The timing of the government's response to scientific advice will demonstrably allow for proper consideration of that advice."

Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson, said that the relationship between ministers and advisers was an important one.

"Ministers rely on scientific advice to develop sound government policy," he said.

"These principles, which now go out for consultation, are designed to strengthen that relationship further.

"They emphasise the importance of academic freedom, and the responsibilities of both scientists and ministers."

The government says the principles were designed to cover "trust, respect, independence, transparency and openness".

They were agreed after a series of meetings, with input from scientific advisory committees, learned societies, science media representatives and the campaigning organisation, Sense about Science.