I am a member of the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), which is the leading policy advocate for science and engineering in the UK.
In the January (2012) issue of CaSE News, CaSE published a ‘scorecard’ of Departmental CSA (Chief Scientific Advisor) ‘engagement’ in response to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry into Chief Scientific Advisors and their roles within UK Government departments. Table 1 is a simplification.
DCMS is currently the only department with a CSA vacancy and most recently Professor John Perkins was appointed CSA at the Department for Transport and Professor Roderick Smith at the Department for Work and Pensions.
Science and engineering impacts the work of all government departments, and I endorse CaSE’s position, that:
independent scientific advice should be at the heart of government and that each department should have a Chief Scientific Advisor to deliver expert advice and oversee policymaking.
Table 1 – List of UK Government Department Chief Scientific Advisors.
| Government Department | Chief Scientific Advisor |
| DEFRA | Professor Robert Watson |
| Department of Health | Professor Dame Sally Davies |
| Ministry of Defence | Professor Sir Mark Wellend |
| Department for Energy and Climate Change | Professor David MacKay |
| Home Office | Professor Bernard Silverman |
| Department for International Development | Professor Chris Whitty |
| Department for Transport | Professor John Perkins |
| Department for Work and Pensions | Professor Roderick Smith |
| Department for Business, Innovation and Skills | Dr. Bill Gunnyeon |
| Department for Communities and Local Government | Professor Jeremy Watson |
| Department for Education | Carole Willis |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | Professor David Clary |
| Ministry of Justice | Rebecca Endean |
| HM Treasury | Dr. James Richardson |
| Department of Culture, Media and Sport | Position vacant |
Wales’ Chief Scientific Advisor is Professor John Harries and the newly appointed Chief Scientific Advisor for Scotland is Professor Muffy Calder (replacing Professor Anne Glover at the end of 2011).
The Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) works to ensure that science and engineering are high on the political agenda and that through the implementation of appropriate evidence-based policies and adequate funding the UK has world-leading research and education, skilled and responsible scientists and engineers, and successful innovative business.
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