Transparency data

CST meeting summary, 7 and 8 December 2022

Published 14 April 2023

Attendees

Attended:

• Patrick Vallance (Chair)

• John Browne (Chair)

• Julia Black

• Philip Bond (Day 1)

• Blake Bower (Day 2)

• Muffy Calder

• Suranga Chandratillake (Day 2)

• Kata Escott (Day 2)

• Josh Fleming (Day 2)

• Jim Hall

• Anne Johnson

• Saul Klein

• Ottoline Leyser

• Max Lu

• Dervilla Mitchell

• Fiona Murray

• Paul Newman

• Brooke Rogers (Day 2)

• Jo Shanmugalingam

• Adrian Smith (Day 2)

• Paul Stein

• Nick Stern

Apologies:

• Chris Bishop

• Philip Bond (Day 2)

• Suranga Chandratillake (Day 1)

• Kata Escott (Day 1)

• Josh Fleming (Day 1)

• Jim McDonald

• Brooke Rogers (Day 1)

• Adrian Smith (Day 1)

• Susannah Storey

Guests:

• Professor Gideon Henderson - Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

• Tom Wells – Deputy Director of Emerging Technologies, Futures and Projects for the Government Office for Science

• Rt Hon Greg Clark MP - House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Chair

• Professor Lord Krebs of Wytham - House of Lords Science and Technology Committee member

• Professor Christopher Hodges - Chair of the Regulatory Horizon Council

Day 1

1. Members received an update from government observers on their departmental priorities.

2. Members noted the recent publication of CST advice to the Prime Minister on delivering national priorities through public procurement^{[footnote 1]} and increasing the availability of scale up investment.^{[footnote 2]} Members received an update on current subgroups developing advice on Engineering Biology and International Partnerships.

3. Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) updated members on current priorities for R&D in DEFRA. Members discussed the importance of environmental data for understanding human health and economic issues. Members discussed the future implications of Engineering Biology for DEFRA priorities.

4. Members received an update from Tom Wells, Deputy Director of Emerging Technology, Futures and Projects for the Government Office for Science on work to identify long term trends that could affect science and technology needs in government out to 2050.

5. Members heard an update on the work of the House of Lords and House of Commons Science and Technology Committees.

Day 2

1. Professor Christopher Hodges, Chair of the Regulatory Horizons Council (RHC) updated members on recent activity including the publication of ‘Closing the gap: getting from principles to practice for innovation friendly regulation’^{[footnote 3]} and the RHC’s 2023 workplan. Members agreed to draw on relevant RHC work to inform future projects. Members discussed the importance of international engagement on regulation, regulating for applications and outcomes, and setting standards to encourage innovation.

2. Members discussed potential areas for future CST advice and agreed to establish new subgroups on science and technology in the creative industries and Space and Satellite applications.

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-on-delivering-national-priorities-through-public-procurement ↩

2. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-the-prime-minister-on-investment-in-innovative-science-and-technology-companies ↩

3. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closing-the-gap-getting-from-principles-to-practice-forinnovation-friendly-regulation ↩