Science advice to government - Auckland conference

Sir Mark WalportChief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

Science Advice to Government

The UK System – A Government Chief Scientific Adviser

• High level adviser and champion for science/engineering/technology/social science – “Wissenschaft”

• Supported by the Government Office for Science and a network of CSAs across government; Head of Profession for scientists across government

• Reports to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary, works across government

• A number of advantages: speed, continuity, integration – particularly useful in times of emergency

2 Science Advice to Government - Auckland


Government Office for Science

Form should follow function

What do we know that they ought to know?

yes but...

What do they know that we ought to know?

To be useful we must be relevant

Do things with Government - not to them

iStockphoto


What does Government care about?

Infrastructure(Natural and built)

Emergencies

The economy Science Policy

Mike Quinn/CC BY-SA 2.0 dyntr/CC BY-ND 2.0

Gavin Schaefer/CC BY-SA 3.0 Nic McPhee/CC BY-SA 2.0


How we give advice: Access Mechanisms

• Government CSA (advises the Prime Minister and Cabinet)

• Departmental CSAs

• SAGE (Scientific Advice Group in Emergencies)

• Council for Science and Technology

• Foresight and Horizon ScanningCredit: AP


How we give advice: The engine room

• Government Science and Engineering Network• Public Sector Research Establishments• Learned Academies• Academia• Industry

http://www.raeng.org.uk/default.htm

COBR

Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies

(SAGE)

Non-Governmental Organisations

Government Scientists

Industry Academia

• 2009 – Pandemic Flu• 2010 – Volcanic Ash• 2011 – Fukushima• 2012 – Olympics • 2013 – Flooding• 2014 – Ebola

•Operational response•Impact management•Recovery•Public Information

The Importance of Embedded Mechanisms

Home Office Rapid Diagnostics, 25th June 20137 Science Advice to Government - Auckland

SACs

What makes an effective adviser:

The UK CSA model doesn’t involve executive power. Impact comes through personal qualities:

• scientific standing• energy• interpersonal skills

There’s no one right way to operate

The CSA and the organisation need to be flexible and adapt to achieve best effect

Rigorous scientific integrity is essential – but often in the context of incomplete evidence and uncertainty


Fitting in with the policy process: be a sensitive adviser

Fitting in with the policy process:Influencing Policymakers

Influencing policymakers:

• What do they need?

• Building trust

• Agreeing and understanding the questions

• Providing the best evidence

Ultimately policymakers will make decisions based on a view of the issue through a number of ‘lenses’ – of which science is one


Sgt Tom Robinson RLC/OGL v1.0

Science – adding value across Government


Sitting at the centre: we’re well placed to identify and pull together strands where science can add value: eg:

•Promoting use of ‘big data’, better use of administrative data

•Expert customer for science in government

•Socialising the work of academies etc

•Horizon Scanning and Foresight: Working with the Cabinet Office

•Future cities; Ageing society; Internet of Things; Financial technologies

infocux Technologies/CC BY-NC 2.0

Mr.TinDC/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Science and the policy process: obvious areas

Traditional areas for scientific advice: physical problems have need for science input that is clear to all


Sdr Ldr Nikki Lofthouse/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

x_tine/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0mattbuck4950/CC BY-SA 2.0 defra/crown copyright

iStockphoto iStockphoto

Science and the policy process: less obvious areas

In other areas we need to build appetite for the scientific method, adding value, proving utility, one step at a time.


Cathy Yeulet/123RF Cpl Neil Bryden RAF/Crown Copyright

Home Office/Crown CopyrightHM Prison Service/Crown Copyright

e.g. energy policy: must address three aspects :


Science and the policy process: understanding the different lenses

effective policy space


Evidence is just one part of the picture!

We can provide the very best evidence but must recognise that the ‘lenses’ of politics and the machinery of delivery will all interact to produce the final outcome.

Lenses

Engaging the public

• The public can be great advocates for science, if we communicate well

• Policymakers listen to the public – democracy

• Values matter

How should we engage with the public successfully?


Tim O’Riordan – CST – 5 Principles: the importance of social science1. We need to reassure people that all potential alternative solutions are being looked at2. Allow decision making at the appropriate geographical level3. We need to involve the public in decision making – not just experts4. We need to tailor communications5. Engage the public’s emotions and sense of responsibility

iStockphoto


An international example: Fukushima - countries made different policy decisions based on the same evidence from a single event.

International lenses

Credit: AP


Building Capability: Meshing supply and demand

Advice comes from different areas, each requires capacity development:

• From the centre: CSAs, etc.

• From government’s own science research establishments: eg Met Office, Defence laboratories

• From outside Government: Universities, National Academies

Building Capability – Pull from government – a quiet revolution

Increasing demand:

•Civil Service Reform – the drive for open policy making

•Advocating the benefits of science

Developing demand: Increasing the scientific literacy of those in government

•Though expert brokering of evidence needs

•Through increased flux of personnel between sectors: CSA and similar roles

•Normalising science backgrounds in the Civil Service: Graduate recruitment of scientists and engineers


Building Capability – ‘push’: the supply chain from national institutions to government

Articulating government’s evidence needs better

Incentivising collaboration.

•Impact on policy and the UK’s Research Excellence Framework

•Incentives for Industry: making a better environment for business too eg RAEng energy work


Dealing with uncertainty - when science advice is difficult

Risk

Hazard

Uncertainty

Vulnerability


Credit: Warren Photographic

Dealing with uncertainty: in the evidence


We are only as good as our evidence

Examples of significant uncertainty in the evidence:

•Neonicotinoid insecticides•Bovine tuberculosis

Here our role is to assess and communicate the balance of evidence between opposing policy options

Identify gaps in our knowledge and look to fill them

Dealing with uncertainty

• When is there enough evidence to make a decision?

• Not for advisers to make the decision – policymakers must, often on incomplete evidence.

• Who should we listen to?

• A broad range of expertise

• Easier to build consensus in an emergency, less so without the pressing need.

• Good science advice communicates uncertainty effectively


Building international consensus

• Many issues cross borders and require international consensus

• Collaboration makes large scale projects possible


Reuters

Swinburne Astronomy Productions

NASA

biology- pictures.blogspot.com

Science matters


• Embedded science advice is important – and vital in emergencies

• Know your customer

• Act as an effective transmission mechanism between the world of science and the world of politics

NASA

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. We apologise for any errors or omissions in the included attributions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future versions of this slide set. We can be contacted through [email protected] .

@uksciencechief

www.gov.uk/go-science

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Science advice to government - Auckland conference

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