Annual Statement of Compliance with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (2024-2025)
Published 16 July 2025
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1. Introductory statement and summary of actions
1. The Government Office for Science (GOS) provides scientific advice to the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet, through a programme of projects that reflect the priorities of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser. GOS works to ensure that government policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence and strategic long-term thinking. See https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-office-for-science/about which sets out the priority areas on which GOS is focussing. GOS’s values include ‘openness’ and ‘integrity’.
2. GOS is part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) for administrative purposes, but is operationally independent and works across all of Government.
3. GOS is committed to the principles set out by the Concordat to Support Research Integrity. The principles underpin our objective to ensure that government policies and decisions are informed by the best scientific evidence. Applying these principles means that others in government and beyond can have trust and confidence in our research and in any resulting policy or service delivery.
4. Following GOS’s production of guidance to implement the Concordat to Support Research Integrity across the whole of government in 2022, GOS has continued to provide advice to government departments and bodies on application of the guidance during 2024-2025.
5. GOS has processes in place to identify research conducted or commissioned by GOS that falls within scope of the guidance.
6. Staff with responsibility for GOS’s research projects have received information and advice about the requirements of the guidance. GOS maintains systems which ensure that relevant research conducted or commissioned by GOS meets the requirements.
2. Governance
7. Ted Hayden, Director of GOS, is the named senior member of staff with oversight of research integrity in GOS.
8. Rachael Creed wrote the cross-government guidance and is the named contact for research integrity in GOS. Rachael leads on establishing policies and systems for research integrity and providing advice on embedding the guidance’s requirements in GOS.
9. Queries about research integrity arrangements in GOS may be addressed to researchintegrity@go-science.gov.uk.
3. Processes to support culture of research integrity
10. GOS has processes and supporting documentation to underpin the application of research integrity principles, including to identify what is research in scope and to record relevant research.
11. GOS is committed to the principles of transparency and continually reviews its processes to ensure that project and research outputs that are of wider interest and use are published promptly wherever possible.
12. GOS research is informed by ethical research guidance such as https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-media-research-guidance-using-social-media-for-social-research; and the principals set out in the Aqua Book : guidance on producing quality analysis for government. In procuring research from contractors, all public sector procurement rules were followed[footnote 1].
4. Guidance for researchers, employers and commissioners of research
13. GOS’s officials receive guidance on: the Concordat’s principles and research definitions; GOS research-integrity named roles; how and where to record research which falls in scope; and what actions are required in support of research integrity.
14. GOS offers cross-government support and shares knowledge and best practice with all government officials who are involved with research, including those in GOS. GOS maintains a repository of research-integrity-related resources.
15. During 2024-25, GOS continued to advise and guide departments and GOS staff on implementation of the Concordat, whenever queries arose.
5. Training and awareness raising
16. The Government Science and Engineering Profession (GSEP) Career Framework, which is applicable to scientists and engineers across government, including in GOS, lists understanding and application of the Concordat to Support Research amongst the technical skills for the GSEP.
17. GOS provides information and guidance for staff, including via intranet pages, to help them understand the requirements of the guidance and what actions they needed to take to embed them and contribute to annual reporting.
6. External engagement
18. GOS engaged with the UK Committee on Research Integrity (UKCORI) hosted by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), for example regarding refreshing the Concordat to Support Research Integrity; and in relation to UKCORI’s analysis of research integrity annual statements.
19. GOS observed meetings of the Research Integrity Concordat Signatories (RICS) group, which oversees and promotes the Concordat. This informed the implementation of research integrity principles in GOS and across government.
7. Open Science and research protocols
20. GOS has a process for publishing research protocols and analysis plans in advance of research studies starting. The process allows for research outputs to be published alongside these, making them accessible to others who might benefit from using them.
8. Publication of research
21. GOS had a process to enable the publication of research outputs, in accordance with the guidance.
9. Research misconduct
22. There were no cases of research misconduct in relation to research conducted or commissioned by GOS during financial year 2024-25. Standard departmental procedures were in place, if GOS officials had wished to raise concern.