A conversation with the Government Office for Science The University of Manchester 6 th November 2015

2 Science Advice in Government Key issues that drive the agenda Infrastructure (Natural and built) Science Policy The Economy Emergencies

3 Science Advice in Government Science Advice: Dealing with issues Hydraulic fracturing: shale gas Modern Slavery Foresight – Cities 2065 HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER WEEK, E NGLAND AND W ALES (GBP)

4 Science Advice in Government Foresight – Future of Flooding Science Advice: Mitigating Risk The National Risk Register

5 Science Advice in Government Government Office for Science Sir Mark Walport (~80 people) Cabinet Prime Minister Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers ~20 Scientific Advisory Committees ~1500 Government Scientists and Engineers ~15,000 Public Sector Research Establishments Cabinet Office Cabinet Secretary Horizon Scanning Team Council of Science and Technology Science advice in government: The Government Office for Science Data Science Other Government Departments

6 Science Advice in Government Science advice in government: The Government Office for Science In practice this means we prioritise issues that are: important novel present, urgent policy challenges have long-term implications for science in relation to policy. Outcomes at stake must be large ▼ Science must be a significant factor in determining the outcomes ▼ If it can be done by someone else, it should be When we get involved:

7 Science Advice in Government Science advice in government: The wider networks Expert panel: Universities, Industry, Government, Regulators, and Think tanks. The FinTech Futures report, March 2015

8 Science Advice in Government 1.Clear roles and responsibilities 2.Independence 3.Transparency and openness Giving Science Advice: The ground rules

9 Science Advice in Government In our experience of giving advice to ministers, there are three key things to consider: I will go through each of these in turn… Different lenses Effective communication is essential Help policy makers solve their problems

10 Science Advice in Government Different lenses Effective communication is essential Help policy makers solve their problems

11 Science Advice in Government 10 Science Advice to Government - Auckland Scientific 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. Different lenses

12 Science Advice in Government Different lenses: Shale gas Scientific concerns ‘Hydraulic fracturing’ Fossil fuel, engineering and geological: Loss of integrity in aquifer zone Seismic events Methane release Understanding public attitudes ‘Fracking’ Anti-fracking movements are not solely concerned with emissions or the risks of pollution or seismicity: Opposition to the oil and gas industry ‘Not in my back yard’ Opposition to continued exploitation of fossil fuels in general

13 Science Advice in Government Different lenses: Respect the different roles Khat ACMD report “…khat has no direct causal link to adverse medical effects, other than a small number of reports of an association between khat use and significant liver toxicity”. Home Office response “Based on ACMD’s advice, I recognise that current evidence shows no direct causal link to medical harms…(However) I am concerned that the UK is at serious risk of becoming a single, regional hub for the onward illegal trafficking of khat…I have therefore made the decision to control khat as a Class C drug...”

14 Science Advice in Government Different lenses Effective communication is essential Help policy makers solve their problems

15 Science Advice in Government Effective communication: understand your audience Source: Rankmaniac, 2012

16 Science Advice in Government Effective communication: Language matters Source: Somerville and Hassol, Communicating the science of climate change, Physics Today, October 2011 The need for scientific precision needs to be balanced with the need to be understood by non- specialists

17 Science Advice in Government “If you say the world is going to end, people switch off thinking ‘here they go again, trying to sell us something’.” Focus group participant, Sutton Coldfield (Shuckburgh et al, 2012) “If you say the world is going to end, people switch off thinking ‘here they go again, trying to sell us something’.” Focus group participant, Sutton Coldfield (Shuckburgh et al, 2012) Effective communication: Framing matters Positive or negative framing (and values emphasised) can influence how information is assimilated

18 Science Advice in Government Different lenses Effective communication is essential Help policy makers solve their problems

19 Science Advice in Government Help policy makers solve their problems: The Internet of Things GO-Science Blackett review: Security Standards Skills Need for demonstrators (£40m)

20 Science Advice in Government Help policy makers solve their problems: Dealing with an emergency Modelling Risk to UK Screening Virus survival Vaccines What else can we do? WHO Ebola Situation Report - 18 March Ebola Outbreak - What has SAGE considered?

21 Science Advice in Government Ways to get involved Contribute Ad-hoc requests (e.g. in an emergency) Calls for evidence Workshops and expert panels Papers and peer reviews Join the Civil Service! Placements S&E Fast Stream Chief Scientific Adviser

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