Corporate report

Science Advisory Council annual report: 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

Published 19 February 2019

Introduction

This report provides a review of Defra’s Science Advisory Council (SAC) from April 2017 to March 2018. It is produced under SAC’s openness policy and accounts for its activities during the reporting year.

The SAC is a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which provides independent expert advice and scientific challenge to Defra. The SAC helps guide Defra’s scientific priorities and planning, including long-range planning as well as dealing with immediate risks and opportunities. Full details of the responsibility of the SAC can be found on its website.

During the year the SAC has held four principal meetings and eight teleconferences. These were attended by the Defra Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and Deputy CSA as well as observers from the Devolved Administrations. Additionally, four sub groups carried out in-depth studies on particular topics.

The range of topics discussed by the SAC reflects the issues confronting Defra. Its agenda is structured to integrate it within the Department’s workings, whilst retaining its capacity to provide critical challenge. The SAC is both reactive to Defra’s needs and raises issues itself that it believes would be helpful for the Department to consider.

The SAC continues to strive to be visible and available to Defra, and without compromising its position as an NDPB, has made clear its role as a resource that can help to improve the quality of the evidence base upon which Defra policy is built. This ambition will continue, and is particularly important at a time when the Defra group is working to join up activities across evidence and policy and is focussing on delivering Brexit.

The SAC also engages at a ministerial level, this is reflected by an annual meeting between the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the SAC Chair. The Secretary of State attended, in part, the December 2017 meeting whereby SAC views were sought on integrating existing research into decision making.

The SAC currently comprises of nine members, including the Chair, Professor Sir Charles Godfray. Full membership details are on the SAC website.

SAC achievements and activities

Throughout the reporting year the SAC has provided advice and challenge on a wide range of issues. The SAC provides immediate feedback on evidence related issues and considers whether some topics need more detailed treatment at a subsequent meeting or through convening a time-limited sub group. Issues discussed by the SAC during the year are described below (work continues on some topics).

Air Quality Plan Evidence Annex

The SAC discussed the use of evidence in the Air Quality Plan and the supporting technical report. The SAC understood the inevitable areas of uncertainty in parts of evidence and confirmed that the approach being taken was sensible. The SAC will review progress on the plan periodically.

Ammonia emissions

Defra presented the challenges of delivering an effective nutrient management strategy on how to increase efficiency of nutrient use whilst reducing diffuse pollution. The SAC was asked for views on how to best approach this issue and the questions Defra should focus on. The SAC welcomed the development of this work and emphasised the importance of framing the issue in the wider context of air and water quality. There are potential ‘wins’ for everyone from clean air including health benefits as well as reduced costs for farmers. The possible policy options available to Defra and the need to tailor responses to different types of farms while acknowledging that farming is also about land stewardship were discussed. The SAC offered to contribute to this work as it develops by providing further insight and advice.

Business Critical Models

Defra reviews and publishes a list of its Business Critical Models (BCMs) annually. The 2017 review took place between September and December 2017. The SAC was asked to consider four recommendations to support the approach that will be taken next year, and to support the quality assurance of business critical models in the future. It was agreed that a SAC member will aim to attend the 2018 BCM panel meeting and the SAC sub group on exotic diseases (SAC-ED) could work with the BCM team to ensure the relevant BCM remains fit for purpose.

Clean Air Strategy

The Draft Clean Air Strategy was published May 2018. Prior to its publication the SAC advised Defra on ways to communicate pollution targets and the means to put in place the policies to meet these targets. The SAC advised on the key challenges to the evidence base and made recommendations to enable Defra to assess how big the public health impacts are from specific issues.

Strategic science projects

There are several strategic projects underway; these are long term projects to develop Defra’s scientific positioning going forward. The projects are brought to the SAC periodically, for the purpose of keeping the SAC informed and seeking advice.

a. Future of Land Use: The project aims to join up the many sources of land use information and data to help consider future policy decisions. The SAC is supportive of developing a suite of land use models to provide a framework for analyses, bringing together the key sources of information and identify gaps and uncertainties. The SAC has offered to provide further advice when required.

b. Air Quality Evidence Steering Group: Defra is providing strategic leadership on air quality and connecting the relevant partners across government, academia and more widely. The SAC highlighted the importance of clarifying, to the academic community, what is required to ensure engagement, including the social science community. The SAC agreed that this is a well-defined project and offered to provide further support and oversight across the project.

Evidence statements

These are succinct summaries of evidence in a defined policy setting, developed using systematic review approaches. Evidence Statements are tabled at SAC meetings for comment. The SAC was supportive of the draft Air Quality evidence statement but suggested it would benefit from greater clarity on its audience. The SAC also considered draft evidence statements on ‘The impact of nitrogen deposition on terrestrial ecosystems’ and ‘The environmental, social and economic impact of farming in the uplands’. Overall, the SAC found the statements interesting and informative. There were specific comments relating to the references used and balance of the statements made.

The 25 Year Environment Plan

The SAC has commented on several occasions on both the 25 Year Environment Plan (25 YEP) and the supporting evidence compendium through the reporting year. More recently, the SAC provided advice on the development of metrics to be used in relation to evaluating progress with the 25 YEP. The SAC will work collaboratively with Defra as work progresses.

Environment statistics

The aim of the discussion was to think about official and national statistics relating to the environment, including what needs to be delivered in terms of external users and how Defra can ensure that they meet long-term policy needs. The SAC agreed that trusted, high quality and valued environmental statistics should be integral to policy making decisions. It recognised the importance of long term statistical datasets and acknowledged that these data can have additional, unintended value and uses as knowledge develops. As such, there is a balance to be sought between responding to emerging needs and maintaining longer term monitoring and reporting processes. The SAC recommended that new technologies offered the potential to greatly improve the way that underpinning monitoring data are gathered and the potential to secure increased environmental engagement of a broader audience in environmental data and statistics. The SAC also recommended Defra explore ways of deepening its understanding of the current audience for its statistics and data and the way that information is used in informing external decision-making.

Environment system evidence

The SAC discussed how evidence is obtained, analysed and presented to policymakers across the Defra Environment System, one of the main divisions within Defra. The SAC recommended greater effort in communicating how evidence is managed within and across the different Defra systems to help engagement with external evidence providers. This included consideration on how questions are posed and therefore the evidence is gathered to develop a response. The SAC offered to work with the Environment System group on this issue by providing multiple ways of framing an issue to decide on what the right question is. The SAC agreed that Expert Evidence Groups are a good way of getting the science community to consider the big questions and offered to facilitate Defra’s access to wider academic communities.

Marine evidence

The SAC were asked for advice on how best to engage with the scientific community in developing the Marine Science and Evidence programme, and the level of horizon scanning required. Overall, the SAC found the evidence plan to be a good example of a strategic approach to defining the evidence needs but recommended that it would benefit from indicating priorities and evidence gaps, and should include greater consideration of the role of social sciences in marine management. This will be addressed as the next stage as specific delivery plans for each area of research interest are developed.

Oak tree health research

The SAC commented on an initiative to understanding and mitigate the pest and disease threats faced by the nation’s oak trees. SAC was able to help Defra prioritise and refine the research aims.

Assessment of Defra Group’s science and evidence

The SAC provided advice in relation to an assessment of Defra’s Group science and evidence. The final report of Defra Group’s Science and Evidence Capability Review will be presented to the SAC for discussion.

A number of other topics were brought to the SAC’s attention throughout the year. These are detailed in Annex 1.

Sub groups

The SAC establishes time-limited sub groups on particular topics when more in-depth studies are considered necessary. These are chaired by a member of the SAC and include non-SAC members, co-opted to the sub group, to increase the range of relevant expertise to contribute to the study. In addition, there are two standing sub groups on exotic diseases and social science.

Data sub group

The Data sub group, chaired by Professor Monks, was constituted to provide advice on the question “How can Defra become a fully data driven department?” Two workshops, bringing together sub group members, external experts and Defra colleagues contributed towards findings. The report, published in March 2018, acknowledges that there is much to be recognised and credited in Defra’s work on and with data to date but makes seven recommendations to address the challenges of behaviour and culture change across the organisation. This has been instrumental in the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Data Science in Defra.

2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak carcass burial

The sub group, chaired by Professor Heathwaite, was constituted in August 2016 to conduct a scientific review of the evidence underpinning the management of carcass burial from the 2001 Food and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. This followed a query raised by the National Audit Office who wanted to understand the scientific basis for the department’s financial treatment of the operating costs of the burial sites. The sub group considered the level of risk to water quality and biosecurity at the burial sites and provided advice on the future operational site management strategy. The final report, published September 2017, makes eight recommendations to enable Defra to address future site management needs and regulatory responsibilities.

Ocean acidification

The UK is committed to playing a leading role on Ocean Acidification (OA) globally and are keen to consolidate the UK’s position on OA. A sub group, chaired by Professor Jickells, was tasked to provide advice on how the UK could contribute to the global effort to measure ocean acidification. A report, providing a framework for a national OA monitoring strategy, building on the UKOA programme has been submitted to Defra. The report was published in summer 2018.

Exotic diseases (SAC-ED)

The sub group, chaired by Professor Wood and working in partnership with the Defra Chief Veterinary Officer, has two separate functions in relation to animal diseases: in an emergency situation and during the absence of a disease outbreak. The group was reconstituted during 2017 and its first annual meeting took place on 6 November 2017. The meeting was an opportunity to established revised terms of reference and discuss example scenarios which would trigger SAC-ED to meet.

Social Science Expert Group (SSEG)

Chaired by Professor Whatmore, the SSEG aims to advise Defra to help improve policies and their impact through the effective advice on and use of high-quality social science evidence. The group meet twice a year and teleconferences are held in-between meetings.

As part of its work, a task group was constituted to consider, and advise on, risk communication across Defra’s policy portfolio, to deliver an enhanced approach to communications. The task group focussed on research that helps us to better understand how risks are perceived by the public, and flowing from this, principles and techniques for better risk communication. A workshop was held, with Defra group stakeholders, social science and communication professionals to contribute towards the development of the report. The final report, published March 2018, makes five recommendations. Defra will consider the advice and respond to the recommendations.

Defra/SAC pairing scheme

To support communication and understanding between the SAC and Defra each SAC member is paired with a relevant senior policy official. It provides Defra officials with the opportunity to update SAC members on the emerging policy and evidence issues and to use the SAC member as an independent sounding board for informal advice or challenge. The SAC member has an opportunity to update Defra officials on current and future priorities for SAC and enables the SAC member to develop a detailed understanding of the policy content and associated evidence.

Representative activities

SAC members are encouraged to use their professional networks and expertise to alert the Department to issues and advances that may affect Defra’s evidence gathering and needs. This is captured at every meeting in a discussion on emerging issues. A number of these issues have since been discussed at a meeting or added to the SAC work plan.

The members of SAC contribute more widely to Defra in addition to the SAC meetings and sub groups. These are varied and typically relate to the SAC member’s expertise. Two examples, are highlighted below.

a. SAC members were active participants at the Defra Science & Analysis Conference in March 2018. In particular, Professors Cox, Jickells, Kao, and Moore each gave a presentation, based on their own expertise, experiences and perspective, on “taking different approaches to big questions”. The conference explored the Defra group long-term challenges around air quality, land use and marine and the interdependencies between these.

b. The Birling Gap air quality incident (August 2017). The CSA brought together a science expert group to look at the nature of the incident, its geographical source and to explore possible causes. SAC members Professors Godfray, Jickells and Monks were part of the science group. They also reviewed the final report.

Closing remarks

The SAC has contributed to a broad spectrum of Defra policy areas in a timely way. In the coming year the SAC will continue to work closely with Defra – independently but collaboratively – to enhance Defra’s ability to deliver effective evidence to feed in to the challenging policy decisions the department faces. This is particularly relevant, in the run up to Brexit, whereby the SAC will continue to have opportunity to input into major consultations and strategies that Defra is developing. The SAC stands ready to contribute informed external perspectives and advice to the development of plans for the many Defra policy areas which will require ambitious thinking.

Annex 1: Overview of issues brought to SAC’s attention during the reporting year

The following specific areas of scientific work within Defra were brought to the SAC’s attention throughout the reporting year. It should be noted that this is a retrospective list and as such comments and policy may have moved on since the discussions took place.

The SAC was informed, April 2017, that Defra is currently discussing the pesticide and food sampling regime with the Health and Safety Executive and the Food Standards Agency.

Following discussion between the CSA and Defra Director of Environmental Quality it was agreed that the SAC would consider the framework for Environmental Regulation later in the year.

In July 2017, the CSA updated the SAC on the National Air Quality Plan and a leadership group that will look at the future air quality evidence base. SAC were also informed of the neonicotinoid paper by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

The CSA’s Office will be taking forward a project on the future of livestock. This follows a Government Office for Science Foresight workshop. It was agreed that the SACs involvement would be actively sought during the project. Defra is also looking at how to develop an integrated model for farming and the landscape.

The CSA updated the SAC, in October 2017, on science and evidence funding, geospatial analysis across government and international collaboration.

SAC was updated, by the CSA, on The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund which aims to bring together the UK’s world leading research with business to meet the major industrial and societal challenges of our time. The SAC offered to support, where possible, in ensuring agriculture and environment are seen as key issues in the strategy.

In October 2017, the CSA updated the SAC on recent discussions on neonicotinoids. The SAC offered to work, possibly with other expert committees, on pesticide regulation.

The SAC was informed, in November 2017 that the Defra Head of Statistics has set up an internal working group on environmental statistics. They were also updated on current issues including Neonicotinoids, Evidence Statements, TB and the Brexit.

In December 2017, the CSA updated the SAC on some of the science issues Defra is considering in preparation for leaving the EU. Updates on Brexit are ongoing.

The SAC was regularly updated on the 25 Year Environment Plan; consequently they have had a role in helping to develop metrics for, and evaluating progress.

Defra development of two white papers on Food and Farming and fisheries.

The need for more thinking to tackle plastic pollution and the challenges of reducing reliance by changing behaviour and not simply via technology. The SAC agreed to promote the need for a dual approach in overcoming plastic pollution when in discussion with research councils, i.e. the need to reduce overall use and to invest in innovations around truly biodegradable plastics.

There is ongoing work between Defra and the Food Standards Agency on ways to improve labelling of different kinds of foods to better inform consumers. The SAC commented on the links between plastic litter and high calorie convenience foods as well as the potential risks to vulnerable groups in taxing these food types. The SAC offered to contribute to increasing Defra’s understanding in this area.

The Defra review of bovine TB policy was chaired by the SAC chair. This reported in September 2018.