Transparency data

Council for Science and Technology: meeting summary, March 2025

Published 12 May 2025

1. Attendees

• Angela McLean (Chair)

• John Browne (Chair)

• Julia Black

• Mark Enzer

• Lynn Gladden

• Jim Hall

• Jessica Glover (Day One)

• Alex Jones

• Saul Klein

• Priya Lakhani

• Avid Larizadeh Duggan

• John Lazar

• Ottoline Leyser

• Nick McKeown

• Andrew Morris

• Brooke Rogers

• Nigel Shadbolt (Day One)

• Richard Slater

• Adrian Smith

• Dave Smith

2. Apologies

• Paul Taylor

3. Guests

• Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee

• Professor Russell Viner, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Education

• Professor Dame Athene Donald, Chair of the Department for Education Science Advisory Council; Professor Emerita of Experimental Physics, University of Cambridge

• Professor Chris Whitty, Permanent Secretary and Chief Medical Officer, Department for Health and Social Care

• Catherine Frances, Director General for Global and Public Health, Department for Health and Social Care

• Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Deputy Chair, Industrial Strategy Advisory Council and former Vice Chancellor, University of Manchester

• Professor Julia Sutcliffe, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Business and Trade

4. Day One:

1. Professor Dame Angela McLean welcomed new CST members to the first official meeting of the Council.

2. Government officials updated members on progress in delivering government missions and the Industrial Strategy.  

3. Members discussed current CST advice on the National Data Library and plans to advise on the government’s data vision in the Industrial Strategy.

4. Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee, provided an update on the Committee’s current inquiries. The discussion covered social media, misinformation and algorithms; innovation and regional growth; and science diplomacy. It was agreed that CST members would provide suggestions on future Committee inquiries.

5. Professor Russell Viner, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Education (DfE), and Professor Dame Athene Donald, Chair of the Department for Education Science Advisory Council, discussed the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity. Members offered advice on the adoption of AI and digital skills, apprenticeships, the impact of home environments on learning and industry engagement.

5. Day Two:

1. Professor Chris Whitty, Permanent Secretary and Chief Medical Officer for the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), and Catherine Frances, Director General for Global and Public Health for DHSC, set out government commitments on primary prevention in the UK. The discussion covered the links between primary prevention in healthcare and the government’s missions; challenges in implementing evidence-based primary prevention policies; and evidence gaps. CST agreed to provide advice to the Prime Minister on primary prevention.  

2. Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Deputy Chair of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, and Professor Julia Sutcliffe, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Business and Trade, updated members on delivery of the Industrial Strategy. The discussion covered the development of sector plans and policy levers including, public sector procurement, access to finance, skills, and regulation and standards.

3. Members discussed future priorities and agreed to prioritise two new CST projects on primary prevention in healthcare and place-based innovation.