Consultation on the code of practice for scientific advisory committees and councils
Updated 14 December 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-code-of-practice-for-scientific-advisory-committees-and-councils/consultation-on-the-code-of-practice-for-scientific-advisory-committees-and-councils
1. Overview
Committees and councils advise on a wide range of topics and provide insights from many disciplines including the natural sciences, technology, medicine, engineering, the social sciences, and the arts and humanities.
Committees and councils are typically made up of at least 1 Chair and several members. The Chairs and members are appointed because they hold expertise, skills and/or experience relevant to the topic on which they provide advice.
A committee or council’s operations are guided by a number of documents, including the ‘Code of practice for scientific committees and councils’ (CoPSAC). The CoPSAC provides guidance on the establishment, management and conduct of committees and councils and their relationship with the organisations they advise.
The CoPSAC was last updated in 2011 and several sections are now out of date. We have revised the content and structure of the CoPSAC based on feedback from committee and council stakeholders. We are now inviting broader feedback from the public on the document.
Please note that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is not a scientific advisory committee or council in a formal sense. SAGE has no membership. Its participants are called upon depending on the nature of the emergency and the issues under consideration change from meeting to meeting. While alignment with the CoPSAC is sought as far as is practical, SAGE is not within scope for this consultation, and several sections of the CoPSAC do not directly apply (although for some emergencies, SAGE may work with existing SACs which are covered by CoPSAC). See further information on SAGE.
2. Who this consultation is aimed at:
- members of the scientific advisory community within government who missed the opportunity to provide feedback during the initial revision process
- members of the wider scientific community
- stakeholders with an interest in Open Science principles
- members of the academic community with expertise on the development, translation and use of science advice
- members of the science communication community (for example press officers from universities, scientific institutions)
3. Questions
Is the revised CoPSAC sufficient in guiding councils and committees on ensuring:
- independence (chapter 6, section 6.1 and references throughout)
- transparency, including publications (chapter 6, sections 6.2,6.3, 6.6 and references throughout)
- diversity and inclusion (chapter 2, sections 2.2, 2.4 and references throughout)
This call for evidence is being conducted in line with the Cabinet Office ‘Consultation Principles’.
See the consultation privacy notice.
If you have any comments or complaints about this public consultation, please email: COPSAC2021@go-science.gov.uk