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Chief Scientific Advisers Committee (CSAC)

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers (DCSAs) work together under the leadership of the GCSA to support each other and to address and advise on cross-cutting issues

Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) work together under the leadership of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser to support each other and to address and advise on cross-cutting issues.

They do this primarily through CSAC, whose terms of reference are to consider and advise the GCSA on issues of relevance to Her Majesty's Government (and the devolved administrations) concerning science, engineering and technology (SET).

In particular, CSAC:

  • Provides advice to Ministers, for example through the Cabinet Committee system
  • Discusses and facilitates implementation of policy on SET
  • Identifies and promulgates good practice in SET-related areas, including the use of scientific advice in policy making
  • Facilitates communication on particular high profile SET-related issues and those posing new challenges for government

Its membership includes the GCSA (Chair), all CSAs (including CSAs to Devolved Administrations), the BIS Director General of Science and Research, the Head of the Government Economic Service and the Head of HM Treasury’s spending team responsible for science.

Core Issues Group of Chief Scientific Advisers (CIG)

CIG was created by Professor John Beddington with the aim of identifying and driving progress based on excellent science at a strategic level on key priority issues on which CSAs acting jointly can expect to add value.

Its membership includes a number of senior CSAs. CIG has identified a series of issues which it is addressing via sub-groups. The first two sub-groups focus on counter-terrorism and climate change/food security.

CIG is also building its relationship with the Research Councils by holding regular discussions with Research Council Chief Executives.

The Secretariat for CSAC and CIG can be contacted at the following:

CSAC Secretariat
Government Office for Science
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET

Email: sigsciencestrategy@bis.gsi.gov.uk