Chief Scientific Advisers

Most government departments have a Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) to provide scientific advice.

Departmental CSAs work together under the leadership of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser to support each other and to resolve cross departmental problems.

They do this primarily through the CSA network.

Role

The network advise the Government Chief Scientific Adviser on all aspects of policy on science and technology. In particular, they:

  • provide advice to ministers
  • discuss and facilitate implementation of policy on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
  • identify and share good practice in STEM-related areas, including the use of scientific advice in policy making
  • facilitate communication on particular high profile STEM-related issues and those posing new challenges for government

Membership

Government Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean
Department for Business and Trade Professor Julia Sutcliffe
Department for Culture, Media and Sport Professor Tom Crick
Department for Education Professor Russell Viner
Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero Professor Paul Monks
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Professor Gideon Henderson
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Professor Richard Prager
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Vacant
Department for Transport Professor Sarah Sharples
Department for Work and Pensions Trevor Huddleston
Department of Health and Social Care Professor Lucy Chappell
Food Standards Agency Professor Robin May
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Professor Charlotte Watts
Health and Safety Executive Professor Andrew Curran
His Majesty’s Treasury Jess Glover
Home Office Professor Jennifer Rubin
Met Office Professor Stephen Belcher
Ministry of Defence Professor Vernon Gibson (interim)
Ministry of Defence (Nuclear) Professor Bill Lee
Ministry of Justice Hugh Stickland (interim)
National Police Chiefs’ Council Professor Paul Taylor
National Security Alex van Someren
Northern Ireland Executive Rob Grundy (interim)
Scottish Government Professor Julie Fitzpatrick
Welsh Government Professor Jas Pal Badyal

Alternative arrangements for the provision of scientific advice are in place for departments which currently have no CSA.

Guidance