Transparency data

Research integrity concordat: Defra compliance statement 2022 to 2023

Published 12 February 2024

Introductory statement and summary of actions

Defra is a ministerial department supported by 33 agencies and public bodies. It is responsible for improving and protecting the environment, supporting a green economy and thriving rural communities, as well as supporting our food, farming and fishing industries.

Science and analysis underpins Defra’s policy making and delivery programmes. Defra relies on science, analytical and engineering professionals across the Defra group, on external science advice and on the latest research and innovation.

Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) and Director of Analysis (DoA) have oversight of research activity undertaken across the Defra group. A significant amount of Defra’s research is undertaken by its 7 Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs).

Research integrity is integral to Defra’s mission in ensuring that its policy making is informed by sound evidence. Defra has committed to applying the principles of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity; this is the first annual statement of how these principles are being applied. This compliance statement focusses predominantly on activities within the core department, although relevant activities across the wider group are also referenced.

Governance

Defra’s Deputy CSA, Dr Justine Bejta, is the named senior member of staff with oversight of research integrity in Defra. The contact email is sci.eng@defra.gov.uk.

Science and analysis across the Defra group is locally managed and prioritised, with central governance structures in place to provide strategic direction and tackle cross-cutting issues and quality assurance.

The CSA has oversight of Defra’s Science System as well as Defra’s science professionals and has overall responsibility for overseeing and assuring Defra’s research integrity. Science and the analytical professions in the core department each have their own Head of Profession dealing with research integrity, with each of the analytical Heads of Profession linked into the DoA.  

A central committee coordinates science and analysis across the Defra group, chaired by the Defra CSA. This committee oversees the quality of science and analysis at group level and advises on standards.

Defra actively engages and augments its science capability with external science expertise including through expert committees, institutional placements and direct engagement with scientific institutes.

Processes to support culture of research integrity

Principles of research integrity are embedded in Defra’s Science System.

Defra’s CSA, DoA and Heads of Profession in the core department for science and analysis have overall responsibility for the promotion and monitoring of research integrity.  They are also responsible for supporting ongoing professional development.  Research is delivered by evidence specialists based in the core department directorates and in Defra’s PSREs. Defra’s PSREs each have a science or evidence strategy which reflects their goals and the needs of their various stakeholders.

Outputs from Defra-funded research and development and other commissioned research are published externally.  Defra has a Publications Assurance Panel that oversees the publication of research. This panel ensures that evidence is of sufficient quality to publish and addresses any issues relevant to research integrity prior to publication.

Guidance for researchers, employers and commissioners of research

Defra has in place a suite of guidance on key topics supporting research integrity, which is made available to staff across the group on corporate repositories and profession community hubs. Defra’s intranet, which is accessible to members of the core department as well as certain Arm’s Length Bodies, provides guidance on key topics including:

• Quality Assurance (QA) to ensure evidence and analysis is fit-for-purpose
• peer review, including where this is appropriate
• codes of practice with which Defra researchers are expected to comply, and how this should be documented.

Published professional codes of practice that researchers are expected to comply with include:

• Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (3Rs), a framework for humane animal research.
• the Government Analysis Functional Standard, which sets out expectations for the planning and undertaking of analysis to support well-informed decision making
• the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice for Official Statistics, if a project produces official statistics
• HM Treasury’s Green Book (GOV.UK website), which sets out guidance on how policies, programmes and (capital) projects should be appraised
• Government Social Research (GSR) code, GSR ethics assurance guidance and GSR publication guidance
• the Magenta Book (GOV.UK website) and supplementary guidance on Policy Impact Evaluation for policy evaluation and analysis, with supplementary guidance Quality in Qualitative Evaluation: A Framework for assessing research evidence
• the Aqua Book: guidance on producing quality analysis for government (GOV.UK website) for analysis and analytical models

Defra has also published guidance on integrating a systems approach into policy and decision making. This document helps commissioners of research think more strategically about issues, as well as identify areas for collaboration across Defra and with other government departments.

Defra and its PSREs will continue to review their guidance documents to ensure the principles of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity are fully embedded and referenced.

Training and awareness raising

In Defra, the CSA and DoA are responsible for ensuring that the scientists and analysts are appropriately supported in their professional development and have access to the right tools to carry out their roles effectively.

Staff in the central Science and Analysis Group work closely with Heads of Profession to develop shared plans for learning and development, to ensure that the professions have the tools and facilities, the skills, deep expertise and experience that will enable effective communication of insights and deliver impact into decision making.

The Government Science and Engineering Profession (GSEP) Career Framework, which is applicable to scientists and engineers in Defra, lists understanding and application of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity amongst the technical skills for the GSE profession.

Defra has raised awareness of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity with the Chief Scientists of its PSREs and with lead scientists across the core department.  We will continue to develop further opportunities for training and awareness raising on the Concordat across the Defra group.

External engagement

Defra evidence specialists engage extensively with external organisations and institutions on a range of research issues. This involves face-to-face activity as well as online engagement. A key example of the latter is Defra group’s Research and Innovation Interests. This publication sets out Defra’s high-level areas of research and innovation interest, and in so doing aims to support ongoing and new engagement with the external research community on high quality research.

Defra has engaged in a cross-government Concordat Working Group (CWG), coordinated by the Government Office for Science, which met throughout the reporting year to discuss the practical considerations of implementing the Concordat within government.

Open Science and research protocols

Defra has a central system for recording the research and development it commissions. Details of Defra-funded research and development projects, including outputs, are available to view externally via the Defra Science Search portal. Defra is currently in the process of upgrading its central system for recording research and development and other research projects.

Publication of research

Openness and transparency in publication of research and development helps ensure research outputs resulting from public funding benefit businesses, other researchers, and wider society. There is a presumption to publish by default in the core department, and final reports (unless confidential) from funded research projects are published on the Defra science website, which can be viewed by the public. Defra promotes its research and development findings through appropriate communications activity including via the media and to stakeholders. 

In addition, Defra encourages evidence specialists and contractors to publish research in peer reviewed journals. Where possible, this should be open access.

A coherent policy on open access is currently being developed for the Defra group, to develop a policy in line with UK Research and Innovation’s guidance. The work will continue over the coming year.

Research misconduct

Research and development contracts are overseen by research and development managers who are responsible for monitoring the delivery of research. Standard contracts ensure that terms are in place to deal with any alleged research misconduct.

Defra civil servants are able to report allegations of research misconduct via the Civil Service Code, which sets out standards of behaviour and responsibilities, including conflicts of interest. Defra has a nominated point of contact as a confidential liaison for whistleblowers, overseen by the Civil Service Commission, which covers research misconduct.

In addition, codes of practice exist for certain government professions including the Government Social Research guidance on ethical assurance and the Government Science and Engineering universal ethical code. These codes are not mandated, but they are expected to be adhered to as part of internal performance management processes.