Our governance
Details of our members, terms of membership, meetings and framework agreement.
Although ACRE is a UK-wide advisory body, Defra takes the lead in monitoring its activities and provides the secretariat.
Members
New appointments
The Minister of State, Daniel Zeichner, has appointed 3 members who began their terms in February 2025:
- Professor Peter Lund
- Professor Jacob Malone
- Dr Andrew Prentis
Appointments have been made in agreement with the Ministerial Governance Code of Practice on Public Appointments. The appointments will run from 20 February 2023 until 19 February 2028. All appointments are made based on skills and qualifications, and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The Code requires appointees to declare any political activity in the past 5 years (if significant). No appointees have declared political activity in the past 5 years.
ACRE is an independent Advisory Committee composed of leading scientists. Our current members are:
- Professor Jim Dunwell (Chair)
- Dr Kathy Bamford
- Professor Huw D Jones
- Dr Huw E Jones
- Professor Peter Lund
- Professor Jacob Malone
- Professor Andrew Millar
- Dr Andrew Prentis
- Professor Ben Raymond
- Professor Andrew Wilcox
As part of our commitment to transparency we publish a register of our members’ interests and members’ biographies.
Terms of membership
Ministers in Defra appoint the committee members for ACRE, together with ministers in the devolved administrations. Appointments are made in accordance with the requirements of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Specifications for new members are agreed between the Chair and Defra in order to meet the future challenges facing the committee and to fill any gaps in the committee’s expertise.
Members and the Chair are appointed for 3 or 4-year terms. A member can serve on ACRE for up to 10 years, as long as they are reappointed by ministers at the end of their term. As with member appointments, the Chair is appointed through open competition in compliance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Committee members do not receive any direct remuneration for their services, although reasonable travel and subsistence expenses can be reimbursed.
Meetings
Previous ACRE minutes can be found on the National Archives website.
ACRE governance agreement
This governance agreement outlines our:
- relationship with Defra
- relationship with devolved administrations and other government bodies
- funding arrangements
- appointments procedure
- code of conduct for members
It also contains our terms of reference.