UKHSA Advisory Board: Science and Research Committee terms of reference
Updated 16 November 2022
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukhsa-board-meeting-papers-november-2022/ukhsa-advisory-board-science-and-research-committee-terms-of-reference
Date: Wednesday 16 November 2022
Sponsor: Jon Friedland
Purpose of the paper
The purpose of the paper is to provide the Advisory Board with the terms of reference for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The terms of reference were agreed by the Audit and Risk Committee at its first meeting, held on Friday 30 September 2022.
Recommendation
The Advisory Board is asked to endorse the terms of reference for the Science and Research Committee.
Terms of reference
1. Purpose
1.1 The UKHSA Advisory Board has established a Science and Research Committee of the Advisory Board to fulfil its functions. The Science and Research Committee will assist the UKHSA Advisory Board by providing scientific support, advice and challenge to the UKHSA Executive.
2. Constitution
2.1 The Committee is a mandatory requirement as set out in paragraph 5.16 of the UKHSA framework document signed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the terms of reference of the UKHSA Advisory Board.
2.2 The Science and Research Committee is an advisory committee with no executive powers; it is not the duty of the Science and Research Committee to carry out any function that properly belongs to the Executive.
3. Membership
3.1 The Science and Research Committee shall be chaired by a non-executive member of the UKHSA Advisory Board, selected and appointed by the UKHSA Chair for a period of up to 2 years.
3.2 The members of the Science and Research Committee are:
- non-executive chair – Professor Jon Friedland
- non-executive member – Professor Graham Hart
- non-executive member – Dr Jennifer Dixon
- non-executive member (associate) – Raj Long
- Chief Scientific Officer – Isabel Oliver (currently interim CSO)
- Chief Medical Adviser – Susan Hopkins
- Data and Analytics Lead – Steven Riley (Director General, Data, Analytics and Surveillance)
3.3 Additional experts, who are not members of the Advisory Board, have been invited to participate as unremunerated members of the Science and Research Committee based on their experience and expertise:
- international impact expert – John Arne-Røttingen
- industry scientific expert– to be confirmed
- scientific expert with experience on environmental hazards – to be confirmed
3.4 Topic experts will be invited to contribute to meetings as required.
3.5 Observers from government departments, Go-Science and research funding bodies will be invited to attend meetings.
3.6 The Science and Research Committee shall review its membership at least every 2 years.
3.7 The Science and Research Committee will be provided with a secretariat function by the UKHSA Governance, Risk and Assurance Team.
4. Reporting
4.1 The Science and Research Committee will formally report in writing to the UKHSA Advisory Board after each meeting. This will be by the issuing of minutes and any other report that the Chair may deem appropriate. Minutes will be provided to the Chair for review in time for presentation to the next meeting of the UKHSA Advisory Board and not later than the end of the week following the meeting.
5. Remit and responsibilities
5.1 The Science and Research Committee will advise the UKHSA Advisory Board on strategic aspects of its scientific work including:
- the development and implementation of UKHSA science and research strategy, strategy in response to new and emerging challenges
- help ensure that UKHSA science and research has greatest impact on health outcomes
5.2 The Science and Research Committee will advise on the enablers for the delivery of UKHSA’s scientific ambitions including:
- the partnerships and collaborations required to deliver the ambitions in the science strategy
- the infrastructure and facilities needed for the delivery of the strategy
- the development of scientific careers in UKHSA
- provide advice and challenge on how UKHSA identifies, generates and applies scientific evidence and advice
- provide advice on any other matters relating to UKHSA’s science seeking contributions from independent subject area experts as required.
5.3 The Committee will review evidence of impact of the science and research strategy to support the delivery of UKHSA’s scientific ambitions.
5.4 The Science and Research Committee will update the Advisory Board on important new developments in science and research and provide advice on change of priorities in the event of public health emergencies or other major developments.
6. Meetings
6.1 Meetings of the Science and Research Committee are chaired by the appointed Chair, who shall not be the Chair of the UKHSA Advisory Board. The Science and Research Committee Chair must be a non-executive member of the Advisory Board appointed by Ministers specifically to undertake the role.
6.2 The Science and Research Committee will meet 4 times a year. The Chair may convene additional meetings, as they deem necessary.
6.3 Science and Research Committee meetings will not be held in public but agreed minutes from meetings will be put on the agenda for public sessions of the UKHSA Advisory Board and published on UKHSA’s website with Advisory Board papers (subject to any redactions in line with exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 2000).
6.4 Unless otherwise agreed, notice of each meeting confirming the venue, time and date together with an agenda of items to be discussed, shall be forwarded to each member of the Committee no later than 7 days before the date of the meeting.
6.5 A minimum of 4 members of the Science and Research Committee will be present for the meeting to be deemed quorate, at least 2 of which should be non-executive members.
6.6 Where a meeting is not quorate under paragraph 6.5 within one half hour from the time appointed for the meeting, or becomes inquorate during the course of the meeting, the Science and Research Committee members present may determine either to:
- adjourn to such time, date and place as they determine
- continue and confirm any decision at the next quorate meeting
6.7 The Science and Research Committee may invite individuals with particular expertise, knowledge or experience to provide input on a specific topic or agenda item.
7. Approval and review
7.1 The Science and Research Committee shall conduct a review of its own effectiveness after one year from its first meeting.
7.2 The terms of reference of the Committee shall be approved by the UKHSA Advisory Board and reviewed at least every 2 years.
Date agreed by the UKHSA Science and Research Committee: 30 September 2022
Review date: 30 September 2024
Chair of the Science and Research Committee: Jon Friedland