Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Paragraph: 56
Whilst we welcome the eventual disclosure of SAGE participants, the fact that the delay was...
Recommendation
Whilst we welcome the eventual disclosure of SAGE participants, the fact that the delay was attributed to advice from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) gives us cause for concern. As suggested by Professor Chris Whitty, the advice relates to emergencies relevant to national security rather than public health crises. We therefore conclude that it was not necessary for CPNI advice to have resulted in a delay in the public disclosure of SAGE participants of over three months. Within three months of this Report, the Cabinet Office should update SAGE guidance to stipulate the timeframes in which SAGE should receive advice from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, and other relevant bodies, regarding the public disclosure of expert SAGE participants.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government states it will consider necessary revisions to SAGE guidance as part of a wider future review, but does not commit to updating the guidance within three months to stipulate timeframes for receiving CPNI advice regarding public disclosure of SAGE participants.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
56
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Given the extraordinary and extended nature of the Covid-19 outbreak, an exception has been made to the usual SAGE process meaning that the identities of SAGE participants were published online from early May 2020.3 Furthermore, the register of interests for SAGE participants is also available and is kept under continuing review.4 publication of participants' names should be considered carefully due to the risk of physical and/or online threat of intimidation or harm to any named individuals. In this instance, bespoke protective security advice on both physical and online security has been provided to SAGE participants. The CO and GO-Science will consider where necessary, as part of the wider review of SAGE guidance in the future, revisions to this broad approach.
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