Science and Technology - Seventh Report
Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 26 October 2006.
Contents
Terms of Reference
Summary
1 Introduction
2 Background
Evidence based policy making
3 Sources of advice and expertise
Chief Advisers and Heads of Profession
Government Chief Scientific Adviser
Head of the Government Economic Service
Social Science Chiefs of Profession
Head of OSI
Role of different departments
Responsibility for the scientific advisory system
Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers
Role
Appointments
Position within the department
Science in the civil service
Scientists and engineers
Generalists
Professional Skills for Government
A Government Scientific Service?
Assessing in-house expertise
External sources of advice
Scientific advisory committees
Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees
Membership
Consultants
Learned societies and professional bodies
Academics
Conclusions
4 Evidence Based Policy
Research
Publication of research findings and evidence
Methodology
Trials and pilots
Horizon scanning
Quality control
Peer review
Science Reviews
Conclusions
5 Transparency in policy making
Publication of scientific advice
An open process
Consultation
6 Risk and public communication
Cross-government work on risk
Best practice
The Precautionary Principle
Definition
Application
Harmonisation with the EU
Conclusions on precautionary principle
Risk and communication
Current practice
Leadership
The role of departmental Chief Scientific Advisers
Role of the Media
A scale of risks
Conclusions on risk and public communication
7 Conclusion
Conclusions and recommendations
Annex A: Terms of Reference for the Committee's
Inquiry
Annex B: Outline of the Committee's visit to Washington DC and New York, 5-9 March 2006
Formal minutes
Witnesses
Written evidence
Reports from the Science and Technology Committee
List of Oral Evidence
Wednesday 15 February 2006
Wednesday 10 May 2006
Wednesday 24 May 2006
Wednesday 7 June 2006
Wednesday 5 July 2006
Written Evidence
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